He held the baby close to his heart as the wind picked up, blowing her fine auburn hair lightly against his face.
At her sharp intake of breath, a reaction to the strong breeze, he reached to brush the soft hair aside and then eased her away from him, setting her on the warm grass in front of him.
He watched as Sara's eyes moved quickly to him for reassurance as if afraid he might leave her in this strange place. He wasn't quite sure why she seemed to have these anxieties; he had yet to leave her once in the eight months she had been with him. Not even a short trip to the grocery store for food. Wherever Michael went, she went with him, everyone knew they were a package deal.
He looked down at his daughter's auburn head and smiled. She was the spitting image of her mother right down to the coppery eyes that could see right through him. He knew this relationship would be a dangerous one, that she could very well rule his universe; in fact she already did. And he knew the older she grew the more of a problem this would be. Once she hit her teens he would be so wrapped around her little finger…
He sighed deeply and looked to the letter's his heart had bled onto a piece of paper eight months prior when asked what her head stone should read.
'The most important change in the world for those fortunate enough to have met her; she touched my heart when I thought it untouchable. Sara Tancredi-Scofield. 1977-2007. My wife, my friend; my love eternal'.
As his eyes traveled across the cold granite, he realized he had yet to speak to her as he usually did on these visits. When his soft voice broke the silence Sara looked up at him. He smiled down at her, and she graced him with an upturning of lips; her smile so much like her mother's
"I know it's been a while." He began again," and he noticed Sara's small fingers in the soft grass playfully exploring.
"She's doing well, a little bit of a Daddy's girl maybe, but I know some of that is my fault. I can't seem to leave her with anyone, not even Lincoln. I wish you could see her, Sara."
At her shared name, little Sara looked up at him again. He smiled at her before continuing.
"She's so curious about everything. And she laughs a lot."
At this he reached to tickle his daughter, her youthful peal resounding through the otherwise empty cemetery making him laugh as well.
"Da da," she squealed happily, and leaning back, her head fell into his crossed legs where he sat comfortably on the grass beside her.
He looked at her lovingly and picked her up to set in his lap before continuing.
"I know how much you loved her, Sara," he spoke softly to his wife.
"I know how much you grew to love her, while she grew inside of you. And I know how much love you could have given her if we had only had more time. But I promise you this; I promise I will give her enough love for the both of us. I promise I will make sure she knows you...knows as much as she can possibly know about you. I promise you I will look upon her every day with smiling eyes and I will thank God that you gave her to me."
He ran his fingers lightly through his daughter's auburn curls.
"And I know when I smile at her... I know that when she smiles back I will be that much closer to you...Sara. Oh God, I miss you so much... I will always miss you..."
His tears running silently, fell to land upon her shining hair where they glistened in the sun..
"I will never forget you, Sara. You left me with a beautiful reminder; our daughter...and each day she reminds me how very much I love you...with each laugh; each curious stare...And when she smiles Sara...When she smiles it's with your eyes..."