Just breathe, Sara, she told herself as she gazed
down at his still form.
His hands were clasped together
on his chest and if she looked closely
she could see the tattoos that encircled his
wrists peeking out from the cuffs of his sleeves.
His tattoo...

She recalled the first time she had seen it.
Sara, being a doctor at a State Prison had seen many tattoos.
But none so intricate, so breathtakingly beautiful as Michael's.
Later when she had learned that the tattoo was more than it seemed,

Sara had finally understood.

She had aways found it so out of character for someone like Michael

to have so many tattoos.A structural engineer with a full upper body tattoo.
You didn't see that everyday.

Her gaze traveled to his clean shaven cheeks,
remembering a time when that hadn't been the case.
A time when his light stubble had brushed against her face,
as she held his face in her hands.
A time when she thought they had made a connection.
A connection like she had never made with anyone.
Until that day..

That day in the infirmary when she had asked him what
he wanted from her. When he had asked her to wait for him,
and assured her that things wouldn't always be the way
they were right then.
Sara brought her hand to her mouth.
She could almost feel his lips touching hers
for that one forbidden kiss.

Sara let her eyes move to his head.
His hair was closely shaven with just the slightest
amount of growth present.
She found herself remembering how he would rub
his hands across his head when he was
upset or nervous.

Sara squeezed her eyes closed.
She stood there for a few moments thinking about
his voice. How he had sounded on the phone when he
had told her they were real. How she could hear
the tears that were in his beautiful eyes.
The tears that she could hear but not see.

Sara then thought of Michael's eyes.
His beautiful intense eyes.
So blue, so full of mystery,
so full of life...

Sara closed her eyes once again.
But when she felt a hand grasp her arm
she opened them.
She looked at her father and nodded.
Her father then nodded to the priest.
Sara watched with tears falling from her eyes
as the priest closed the lid of the casket.

She then softly whispered goodbye to Michael,
as the last glimpse of his face disappeared forever.