Sara lay in Michael's arms.
"I have been thinking about what we should do, and I came up with a plan of my own."
"Oh yeah, what is that?"
"I will quit my job, leave the states and come here so we can be together."
Michael rose with his upper body, taking Sara with him. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back a little, so he could look at her.
"Sara! I ..."
"Stop Michael. Before you object and say it's insane and tell me it's the same as when you said you would turn yourself in. If you could sacrifice everything for Lincoln, why can't I do it for you? I love you, Michael. I'm crazy about you. You are the love of my life. We are going to have a baby, I want us to raise our child together, not me in Chicago and you down here, only seeing each other 6 times a year."
"Sara." Michael put his hands on her cheeks and gave her a soft kiss. "I wasn't going to object. I was going to say that I'm so happy you have reached this decision, I hoped you would. Because that was my plan too. I was gonna suggest that."
"You were?"
"Yes. I'm tired of missing you. I'm so miserable when you aren't here, and I don't want to know how that feels when it's double, when I will miss both of you."
"That thought crossed my mind too, and convinced me that this is the right decision. I know how much I miss you and then thinking of you will miss the two of us. Why stay in Chicago, when all I want to be here with you. So you are saying you have no objections to me moving in then?" Sara said smiling while caressing his scalp.
"Not at all. I have no objections whatsoever."
"Good."
Michael caressed Sara's cheek. "I have a surprise for you back at the house."
"Yeah? I guess you will not tell me what it is?"
"Correct, but this is a surprise, it's not me lying to you. I will never lie to you again."
"Can you give me a little hint then?"
"Nope."
"Maybe I could persuade you to talk?"
"Do your worse, I will not say a word."
Sara traced his tattoos and loved how fast the now very familiar look in his eyes appeared.
.
Later that evening when they were watching the sunset up on deck.
"I have been thinking of something else. You said it wasn't important to get married. I agree with you that a piece of paper or ring will not change our love, what we feel for each other. But I would very much like to be your husband, I would like to have the right to call you my wife." Michael took up a box from his shirt pocket and opened it. "Will you marry me, Sara?"
Sara looked at him with big eyes. Michael could see the emotions play out on her face before him, from surprised to joy."
"Oh, Michael. But ... but I thought you said we couldn't while in hiding. That it was too much of a risk."
"It is. We can't put your name next to mine on a marriage license. It will raise some red flags. And I don't want to get married under a false name."
"But how then?"
"What I'm asking is if you are willing to marry me, have a wedding ceremony, say our vows, exchange rings, everything that a wedding entails. But it will not be legal by the law in America, or anywhere else for that matter. To me it will be very real, and I hope it will for you too. Are you willing to do that with me?"
"Yes, Michael. Yes, I will marry you."
"It may sound ridiculous and unnecessary to go through with all of it, if you know it's not even legal. But to me it will mean a lot and I will treasure it forever."
"When I said it wasn't important to get married, I thought I only had those two alternatives to choose from. I would very much like to be your wife."
Michael took the ring and put it on her finger.
"It's beautiful, Michael."
"Just like you. I love you, Sara."
"I love you too, Michael."
Their lips met in soft kisses, to celebrate they just got engaged, but immediately the heat rose up. The desire took hold of them as so many other times and lead to another sort of celebration.
.
"This surprise you are gonna show me, is that what you have been working on this week? Veronica said you have been busy and they haven't seen you much."
"Yes, that's right. Here we are." They stood outside a closed door inside Michael's house. "Since I have made all choices in this house, it's only fair that you have something that is of your choice, that you have a saying."
Michael opened the door. They stepped into a room all painted white. Against the walls leaned some wooden boards, painted in all kinds of colors. At one wall stood a nursing table and a matching dresser, both of the same design. In the middle of the room stood a table, where several paper drawings lay on it.
"I thought this could be the nursery. First I thought I would surprise you with a fully furnished room, lots of toys and stuffed animals, but then I thought you would probably want to be involved, should be involved in chosen things for our child. I made some drawings on a couple of cribs for you to choose from, but I couldn't help myself not to build the nursing table and the dresser. Sorry about that." Michael said with a smile.
He turned his head and looked at her, when she didn't say anything. Sara looked around the room with big eyes and stopped at the furniture.
"You made these, Michael? Not only designed them, but built them?"
"Yes, I asked around and there is a carpenter around here that is specializes in making furniture. I hired him to build them and asked if I could help out. Actually it is Miguel's brother-in-law. You remember Miguel?"
"You mean my boyfriend Miguel Miguel? Of course I remember him." Sara said smiling.
Michael smiled back. Sara walked to the dresser and touched it, let her hand trace the edge of it.
"They are beautiful, Michael. And these ..." Sara walked to the table with the drawings. "They are incredible, I don't know how I will choose one. I'm still trying to understand that I'm pregnant, still on how that is going to be and feel, while you are already on the practical side. I haven't thought about any of that yet."
Michael put his arms around her from behind and gently pulled her close to his body. He pressed soft kisses to her neck. "You don't need to choose right away. We have time before the baby will be here." Michael caressed her oh so tiny belly bump.
Sara puts her hands on his. "That we do."
.
Michael and Sara lay in a hammock at the back of their house.
"It's so unreal. This was the last time I have to leave you. Next time I come I will stay forever. Can you believe it?"
"No, I will believe it when I hold you in my arms on the 8th day. Until I do that, it may still be only a dream. A dream I wish very much to come true."
"I went shopping with Veronica today. I found a dress that would be perfect for our wedding."
"When you come back, I will have everything ready for us to get married. I started a new life already, but this ... to start a new life with you is one I look forward to so much. I couldn't imagine it would turn out like this. When I escaped from Fox River, I thought I would never see you again."
"I thought that too, that I would never see you again. And that made me sad. I was so worried about you. Were you safe? Where did you go? I was so relieved when I got your letter."
"I'm so happy I did send it to you. And the best part, you answered it."
"The best thing I ever did. It took me all my courage to do that. I don't regret a thing. You are the most amazing man I ever met and the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"I feel the same."
.
Sara was pretty pleased with herself. She managed to pack her whole life in two big suitcases, well ... the part of her life that she wouldn't want to leave behind, to part from. Everything else she sold or threw away, all clothes she didn't take with her, she donated to homeless shelters and other establishments, to be used for those in needs.
On the plane down, she couldn't stop smiling. She was just hours away from Michael now, and this time she didn't have to leave him. Sara puts her hands on her belly. Now at 4 months pregnant, she was definitely showing a bump. It was not just going to be the two of them, they were gonna have a baby, she and Michael were gonna start a family. They had so much to look forward to.
Sara and Michael had chosen the beach at the first bay where they spent their first time out with the yacht, as their wedding venue, to hold the ceremony. They decided to get married the same day she arrived, as they wanted to spend the honeymoon on board the yacht, exploring more bays. They didn't feel the need to go to the house before the wedding.
Lincoln did as usually accompany Michael when it was time to pick up Sara. Lincoln knows that they both appreciate that he takes the helm, so they can go straight to bed.
Veronica and LJ had hired a motorboat for the day, so they could come and then go back after the ceremony and met up with them. They had the minister with them.
.
Down below Sara did some last minute fixes on her hair. Veronica had just left her after helped her get dressed. The dress Sara picked out wasn't a wedding dress, but it was white with some lace, more like a summer dress.
Sara took a deep breath and walked up. The moment she saw Michael and how intense he was looking at her, she got a deja vu and immediately thought of their first time out on the yacht. This time Michael was smiling and she could see the love shine in his eyes.
He was dressed in a white linen shirt and had rolled up his sleeves so his forearm tattoos was showing. He knew how much she loved when he did that. She thought he was so beautiful, so sexy, his smile was so sweet, she was still amazed how affected she got by him sometimes.
Michael looked at Sara when she emerged from below. She was so beautiful, that she took his breath away. He thought and not for the first time, that he was so lucky, to have a girl like Sara to love and who loved him back. She was the mother-to-be to his child, soon his wife. Well ... technically not, but in his world she will be. For them the wedding will be very real.
Michael took Sara's hands in his when she came up to him. They smiled at each other. LJ, Lincoln and Veronica were already at the beach with the minister. Michael had built a long gangplank of assembled red plastic parts, so they could walk down to the beach with ease from the yacht. It felt like they walked on the red carpet to a big event, which was indeed true.
.
"We have joined here today to share with Michael and Sara an important moment in their lives. Let us hear your vows." The minister nodded to Sara to begin.
"Michael, you are the most selfless man I know. What you did for someone you love was incredibly brave and geniously. I'm proud of you. Your wonderful smile has intrigued me from the moment we met. A smile I want to see everyday for as long as I live. My life became so much richer when you came into it, so much more exciting both good and bad. I love you, Michael. It will be an honor to be your wife, proud to be calling you my husband." Sara put the ring on his finger.
"Sara, you are the most courageous woman I know. Taking that first chance on us, risking everything to be with me. For that I will be eternally grateful. My world changed when I met you. I had a plan to execute and I had no idea that I would fall in love during it. You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you more than everything else in this world. It will be an honor to be your husband, proud to be calling you my wife." Michael put the ring on her finger.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss."
They certainly did that. Lincoln opened a bottle of champagne, non-alcoholic for both Sara and the minister, and it wouldn't look good to return the motorboat smelling of alcohol. They toasted the bride and groom.
.
Sara and Michael waved goodbye to Veronica, Lincoln and LJ as they drove away in their boat. Michael turned to Sara.
"Thank you for doing this, I know it's not ..."
"No, Michael. Don't say it. This is our wedding day. We said our vows, we are married. We will celebrate our anniversaries on this day. And I intend to make it a very real honeymoon." Sara said smiling and started to unbutton his shirt.
"Oh yeah? That's my plan too." Michael put his hands on her lower back, slightly letting them slide down inch by inch. "Let's start right away."
"Fine by me."
Their lips met just before Michael's hands reached her buttocks. The kiss intensified, as did Sara's hands, which now also went south to cup him. Michael's response was first to grasp, which broke the kiss, then pull her even closer to him. They gazed into each others eyes, both smiling big. They kissed again a few times before it was a good idea to go below, as it was still daylight. They haven't made love out on deck during daytime yet, when they have made love, it has been evenings at least twilight.
Once down in their cabin, Michael removed his own clothes first. Then he helped Sara out of her dress and underwear. They kissed hungrily, while Michael moved them towards the bed. When Sara felt the bed behind her, she slowly lowered herself on it with intention to pull Michael with her. But Michael stood firm left and looked down at her.
She was so beautiful, Michael thought. Everything about her. Her hair, eyes, body, everything is absolute perfection. Her look combined with her brilliant mind, her humour and warmth, make her an extraordinary woman. A woman that had Michael's attention from the moment he printed out her picture and information out of the internet. And here she was, with him, his wife and she was gonna be the mother to his children.
Michael let her eyes focus on her now visible baby bump. Their first child may not been planned, but he loved it already. Since she told him she was pregnant, he had spent a lot of time wondering how a child of theirs could look like. He can't wait to see the result of their love.
Sara got a second deja vu feeling, this reminded her about that first time they made love. When Michael just stood and looked at her for a period of time. She raised her hands against him and said what she said then, it worked then so it should work now too, she guessed. "Make love to me."
Maybe Michael also got the deja vu feeling, because he had a knowing smile and his eyes sparkled. Michael joined her in bed, bend down and kissed her belly. He whispered something Sara couldn't hear. Michael kissed his way up. Sara was ready and met him in a very heated kiss.
"What did you whisper?"
"I just asked the baby if he or she wouldn't mind, me making love to its mother."
"At some point we may have to stop, but not yet. This is our honeymoon and I intend to make it very enjoyable for both of us. I'm gonna treasure every single moment."
"I promise you that we will and more."
"More? There is more?" Sara said with a grin.
"I still have a few cards up my sleeve."
"You mean besides these?" Sara traced the cards in his tattoo with one finger. "Show me."
And that he did. Not only that time or the night that followed. But every day and night on their honeymoon. They made the 8th day extra special, to mark that Sara didn't have to leave and go home anymore. And just to make sure it wasn't a dream, they stayed out two more days before heading home.
.
They held hands as they walked through the garden to their house. They stopped and greeted Lincoln and Veronica, talked a little before they continued. At the front door, Michael lifted Sara up in his arms and carried her over the threshold.
"Welcome home, Mrs Scofield."
The End