"When will she come out of this"? Frank Tancredi asked.

His concern for his daughter was evident in the grimness of his expression as he listened to Sara's doctor explain that Sara could wake up at any time or remain locked inside herself, that there was no set time for these things.

Frank had just arrived at the hospital, his plane having just landed at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

He had been in Tokyo when he received the call from Katie earlier in the day, at which time Katie had told him in a caring, yet professional manner the state in which she had found Sara.

In their brief conversation, Katie had also informed him that she had dialed 911 and that Sara wasn't in any apparent physical danger; that she was fine aside from some rather deep cuts on her hands and wrists.

What worried Katie was the fact that Sara wasn't responding to any outside stimuli. Katie had voiced her concerns that Sara was in a catatonic state. Katie's medical knowledge had since been confirmed. Sara was in a catatonic state due to some trauma.

"What trauma"? Frank now asked the doctor assigned to Sara's case.

Dr. Nichols looked at him blankly.

"I'm afraid we don't know Sir. And until Sara comes out of it your guess is as good as mine. She appears to have repeatedly pounded the glass of her bathroom mirror".

Frank nodded and waved his hand to indicate that he already knew these details.

What he wanted from this doctor was the reassurance that his only child would awaken from this and come back to him; what he wanted was to know what had caused this in the first place.

He looked away from the doctor as he spewed his medical jargon and focused on his little girl's face.

Sara, who had sat alone and unattended in a cold dark bathroom for hours, was now sitting, clean and dressed in a white robe and soft pajamas, the cuts on her hands and wrists wrapped in bandages.

Frank stared at her blank, but beautiful features.

He wished he knew what, if anything she was thinking.

Where are you hiding this time Sara? He asked silently.

SARA

Sara sat in a still position seeing nothing in the white antiseptic room before her.

In fact she was completely removed from the outside world entirely; feeling nothing as her father's hand reached to enclose her much smaller one in his own much larger hand.

She heard nothing as he began to speak to her, begging her to come back to him... begging her to come home.

"Michael"! She screamed.

"Where are you? Please, Michael"!

Sara moved along, the breeze blowing through her damp hair.

She had been searching for him for what seemed like hours, but it couldn't have been that long, could it? Her hair was still damp from the shower.

The shower... Suddenly she felt her body becoming lighter, and when she raised her hand in front of her face she could see the vast blue sky through her transparent skin.

She took a deep breath. What was happening to her?

"Michael"! She called again more desperate then ever before as she sped up her pace.

She was suddenly aware that she could no longer feel the ground beneath her feet; and the wind was no longer touching her. She looked at her palm and it was even more transparent. She heard a voice speaking, calling to her faintly.

And then she saw him up ahead, and it grounded her, the smooth dirt once more solid against her bare feet; the wind dancing lightly across her skin.

He was facing away from her, but she would know that stance anywhere; she would know Michael anywhere.

"Michael"! She heard the word leave her lips, and then he was turning.

Sara stopped suddenly, her heart pounding so loudly she almost didn't hear the howling that began to tear across the barren land.

Michael's eyes met hers and then he was running to her, his fingers finding hers in a desperate grasp.

There was no time for words as he pulled her along with him. She felt his finger's tighten even more as they raced against the invisible force that had once before taken her from him.

"Close your eyes, Sara"! He shouted to be heard.
"What"? She screamed as the howling grew louder.

"Close your eyes and hold onto me"! He said, his lips so close to her ear that his words tore painfully through her head leaving behind them a dull ache.

But she did as he asked; she closed her eyes and held on to him.

An intense heat rushed through her and then the howling was gone.

Sara opened her eyes with a gasp. The land before them was surreal to say the least.

She let her eyes roam across the fields, her senses alive to the beauty of the thousands upon thousands of red origami roses.

She reached a hand to touch the many folds and creases of the beautiful red flowers. And then with the smile of a mystified child, she looked to find Michael's smiling eyes.

"Where are we, Michael"? She asked as she pulled an origami from it's branches and brought it's sweet fragrance to her nose.

"We're somewhere safe for now Sara", He said softly.

"Come on".

Sara looked ahead to see a small pond. She tucked the origami into the pocket of her robe and took Michael's hand.

He led her to a small clearing near the pond, and then motioned for her to sit beside him along its smooth shore.

When they were both seated he turned to her and Sara could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Sara, you shouldn't be here", he spoke quietly.

"This place is not for the living... I'm not even sure how it is that your here", he said, rubbing a hand along his closely cropped head in the idiosyncrasy Sara remembered from their days together at Fox River.

It was something she had seen him do often, especially when he was confused or upset.

Sara reached and stilled his hand, bringing it to her lips. He met her eyes as she placed his palm against the soft skin of her cheek.

"I need to be here, Michael", she whispered.

"I need to be here with you. It's where I belong".

Michael shook his head, "No, Sara. It's not your time. That's why you were sent back... That's why they were coming again", he said attempting to explain the howling noise.

"But you saved me from them... Why Michael? If I'm not supposed to be here, then why save me and bring me to this place"? She said sweeping her hand along to indicate the beautiful field of roses she had no doubt he had somehow fashioned just for her.

Michael smiled sadly. "I was sent here to warn you, Sara".

"Warn me about what, Michael? That this beautiful place is here; that you're here waiting for me"? She said shaking her head.

"I have nothing back there, Michael. Please don't tell me to go back there".

Michael stroked her cheek with his thumb. "It's not that simple Sara. You can't stay...It's not your time. There are rules that can't be broken".

Sara shook her head, "I don't care about the rules, Michael! I can't live without you...I can't think... I can't... You're all I think about! And it hurts so much"! She said her eyes filling with tears.

He reached and brushed them gently away with his thumbs as they rolled down her cheeks. And then she was in his arms. He brought his mouth to her lips and his sweetness filled her.

She felt a tingle start at her neck and spread through her, touching all of her nerve endings, leaving them alive with a need she had never thought possible. She felt his lips part for her tongue and delved into the warmth of his mouth.

She told herself this was what heaven tasted like as his tongue dipped into her eager mouth.

And then his hands gentle but insistent eased her back onto the soft ground. His body melded to hers and her breath left her as his fingers danced across her skin.

But then he was pulling away.

"No, please, Michael", she said reaching for him.

But he moved away as if afraid he would be tempted. "We can't Sara. Not here", he said with a deep sadness in his eyes.

"But why, I don't understand any of this, Michael! If I can't stay here with you, why did you leave me? Why didn't you come back"?! She said her eyes red from the tears that raced down her cheeks.

Michael looked at her, her pain reflected in his sad blue eyes. He shook his head. "I don't have all of the answers, Sara".

Sara laughed through her tears. "That's a first, Michael, you not having the answers".

Michael smiled softly. "I'm not Superman, Sara".

Sara nodded and wiped at her tears. "Yeah, but you're close".

Michael laughed sadly... "Not even".

They stared at each other in silence for a moment.

But then the silence was broken.

They both heard the howling at the same time. Sara's terrified eyes met his.

"It's okay Sara. It's just time for you to go home", he spoke with a calm sadness. "It's time for you to move on with your life".

"Come home to me Sara". Her father's voice broke through. She gasped and fell forward in her chair. She could hear he father's frantic voice calling for a doctor.

Sara sat forward and took in her surroundings.

She then closed her eyes tightly as they filled with tears.