Chapter Two "Awakening"

As the sun rised slowly over the lake. Michael watched Sara sleep soundly. He new she would want to see the sunrise, and he wondered if someone was probably worried about her. "Sara?" he kissed her forhead "Sara... wake up and watch the sun rise!"

She opened her eyes to see him leaning over her. She smiled, and he smiled back giving her some room sit up. "Oh my god, we stayed out all night" she just started laughing, he jsut watched her "this is a gorgeous sunrise"

"Everymorning, i get up early to watch the sunrise" as he spoke her hair fell her face and he placed it behind her ear, caressing her cheek "it was the only thing reminding me of you, and now you here, sara..." he sighed and took a breath. She knew what was coming "i dont want you to leave, and if you do, i want to go with you"

"Michael..."she took his hand from her face, and helled it in her lap "Michael, its hard now, if we lived together, it would make whats special, go by fast, and what if i loose you, i dont want, not ever again"

He smiled at her. She looked in his eyes. Then he spoke. "So, you dont have anyone else, i mean anoyone, you need to tell, that your with me?"

She looked away, upset a little by the conversation. "No Michael..."it was almost a whisper but she new he could hear her "there's no one, i promise"

He smiled a sly smile then stood up, pulling on his jacket he used a pillow. Sara followed his actions, standing up folding the blanket. As he folded the one they were lieing on.

They started back on the path they had came from. She noticed all the flowers planted along the sides, that she hadnt noticed in the dark. "Sara, let me make you breakfast, please?"

"Michael, i think i should go back home now, i mean ive been out all night, but if you want you can come for dinner" he noticed the hesitation in her voice. He hadnt realized they had made it back to the house, he walked her around front to her car.

Before open the door, she handed the blanket back to him, and gave him a thanks. He wasnt going to let her go so easily, with asking about the hesitation in her voice earlier. "Sara?"

She turned to him. "Yes Michael?"

He looked down then back up to her. "Why, why before did you hestiate?"

She glanced away, then fidgeted with her keys as she spoking looking down. "Michael, before, i lied, i am seeing someone, and that someone is not to fond of you, i mean i like him, but i love you, and your qualities are amazing, but after what happened with the escape, i dont think we should be together"

His jaw dropped. "Sara, what has these people down to you? Those are not words from your mouth, i know your strong, but, those are not spoken from Sara, those are the words spoken fom Paul Kellerman, please tell me your not seeing him?"

She just tood there. Then turned as quickly as possible and climbed into her car. Without and word from Sara, he new it was a yes, and he new he had to get HIS sara back, some how. "Sara? SARA WAIT!!!"

She looked at him through the window as she pulled out of the drive, she slowed before and stared at the man she had just broken to pieces. He was calm, yet she could tell the anger in him. She gave him a weak smile, and dissapeared as she drove out of sight.

Michael stood in the drive way. His heart crushed by the woman he onced love. "What am i saying? I still love her, i will always love her" He tried to turn back to the house, go to his car, and chase after her, but he couldnt move. His heart filled with resentment.

Instead he stocked back toward the lake, sulking to himself.

-

Sara drove in her car, back toward her hotel. She never told Michael that she doesnt live in town. She never told Michael, that she suppose to get married, she never told him, how she loved when he was angry, he looked calm. And when he thought hard, he held her tight. And when something was going wrong- "Wait a minute Sara, what am i thinking, i cant just leave and not be truthful to the man i once...to the man i love"

Tears rolled down her cheeks slowly. She arrived back at the hotel, holding her tears in as much as she could before she reached her room. As soon as she shut the door, she slid down, letting the tears flow. She rested her head on her knees, that she held tight against her body. "I love him, i love him, but what about my fiancéé, i want to be with Michael" her words came out choppy. If she was telling them to someone, noone would understand her.

She eventually moved to the bed where she sat on the edge. Once her tears dried, she lied down with the kleenex box beside her. Drifting off to sleep.

-

Michael was skipping rockes down by the lake, when he heard his name being called. It sounded like Lincoln. "Michael? Michael were back early? Michael"

Lincoln peared through the bushed toward his brother. Michael turned around with a fake smile on his face. Lincoln new something was wrong, but decided to question him later. "Hey Linc, wheres LJ?

"He just back at the house. We brought home some lunch, seeing as its going to 1:00, how long have you been out here?"

They had started back toward the house. It was now in sight. "All morning, the usual, lunch sounds great!"

They walked into the kitchen. LJ was already in there getting plates. He walked over to Michael and hugged him as Lincoln finished Lunch. "So, what did you guys bring home?"

Lincoln turned to him. "Pizza" he turned backed toward the kitchen counter. "Oopes, we brought you a gift, its in the hall, i'll go grab it" he left the room, LJ and Michaels at down at the table, Lincoln came back into the room. The gift in one hand, and Sara's purse in the other. "What would this be Michael?"

LJ and Michael turned. he recognized the purse immediatley, hoping but knowing Lincoln knew whos it was. "Uh...its uh"

Lj blurted it out before michael. "Its Saras purse" they both looked at him. He picked up his plate and headed for the living before, he could get into and more trouble then he new he was.

Lincoln when and sat by his brother. "So, she visited today, huh? How did it go?"

Michael smiled, lieing the entire time. Lincoln new he was, but let his brother have the moment. "...and that must have been how she forgot her purse. Anywas, tonight im going to her house for dinner"

Lincoln patted him on the back. "Im happy, anywas, me and LJ were gonna head out for a movie, wanna come?" Michael smiled

"Sure, let me put this by the door, call Sara and ask what time she wanted me to come? And then we can leave, you guys hurry and finish your lunch, im going to shwoer up!" he headed upstairs, taking Saras purse with him. He sat it on the bed, then grabbed his cellphone. He dialed sara's #, then remebered that he had her bag, and probably her cell phone, but when he heard it ring, he new she had it on her.

-

Sara awoke to the phone ringing. The sun was shinging bright through the large window that led to the porch. She rolled over and took her phone out of her pocket. She has slept on it. Her nose was still stuffy from earlier and the kleenex box had fallen on the ground. She picked up the phone, sitting up, sniffing.

"Hello?"

"Sara, its me Michael" he could tell by her voice she had been crying "I was just calling too tell you, you left your purse at my house, and i was wondering, if i could still come for dinner"

"Michael I" she stopped talking, then breathed, clsoing her eyes. "Michael, come to the Fern Hotel, down by the Fern International Airport. I have alot to tell you, and lot to explain, i think 6:00 is good, goodbye"

"Bye Sara"

She sat her phone down, then headed for the shower. She grabbed her bathroom necessities. And turned on the hot water, stripping her clothes off and stepping in, to feel the water, flush away her problems.

-

Michael sat lifelessley on the bed. Then headed for the door, he went downstairs, and headed out the door with Lincoln and LJ, he would shower later before he left to see her.