Chapter 3: Sara

Sara opened the door to Lincoln's shop and embraced the feeling of the cool air on her face. Being eight and a half months pregnant in the middle of the brutal Panamanian was not what one would consider 'ideal' circumstances. But no matter how much she may complain about her pregnancy, whether it be the too hot environment made hotter with the extra twenty pounds she had put on thanks to her little bundle of joy due any minute now, or perhaps the swollen ankles and loss of ability to see any part of her lower body, Sara wouldn't trade this baby for the world: her little miracle, the last piece of Michael she had left. Some days she missed him so much she couldn't breathe. But she knew that no matter how much she missed him, or how bad her circumstances may seem, she knew if Michael were here, he would want her to take care of herself and their baby; their miracle.

Finally Sara closed the door to the shop behind her. As the door closed, the bell hanging above the door rang, notifying Lincoln that a new customer had entered the shop. "Good morning and welcome to Mike's Scuba Shop. How can I–" finally Lincoln looked up from his desk and saw his very pregnant sister in law standing in front of him. "Oh it's just you," he deadpanned.

"Gee thanks Linc it's good to see you too," Sara dryly replied even thought she inwardly smiled, as she always does when she hears Lincoln proudly welcoming guests to Mike's. Even though Michael didn't make it to Panama, Lincoln started up the scuba shop like they had always planned to. LJ helps out around the shop when he can, but is often busy with his college courses. Lincoln felt it was only right to name the shop after Michael. He had always said, "If he can't physically be here, at least his name lives on forever."

"You know I'm kidding sis," Lincoln started as he walked over to wear Sara was standing and greeted her with a hug and kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling? How's Squirt treatin' ya?" Since Sara had decided to opt out on learning the baby's gender, claiming she wanted it to be a surprise although Lincoln thought it was solely to drive him crazy, the gang had taken to calling the baby Squirt or sometimes even Junior.

"We're doing pretty well. I'm more than ready for Squirt to make his entrance into the world though. Let's just say being eight and a half months pregnant in 100+ degree weather is not the most enjoyable thing in the world. Thanks for asking, Uncle Linc," Sara answered. Lincoln had truly stepped up as the baby's uncle. He went to every doctor's appointment, answered every late night phone call to pick up ice cream or pizza or whatever Sara desired. He insisted he owed it to his brother. To be honest, Lincoln always felt slightly guilty for his brother's death. After all, if he never would have gone down the wrong path and gotten entangled with the Company and thus sent to prison, Michael never would have even been a part of any of this mess. Yes, Lincoln definitely felt he owed everything to his brother.

"Good. Why aren't you at work?" he asked.

"Well," Sara began, "I just saw my last patient. I am officially on maternity leave since little Squirt could be making his debut at any moment now," Sara finished with a smile.

When they had first arrived in Panama, Sara couldn't eat or sleep, or even function without Michael. She would lie in bed all day, only eating when Lincoln or Sofia came by and practically force fed her. She knew that it wasn't good for her baby, but she simply could not help it. The pain of losing her one true love had been far too much for her to handle. However, after Lincoln dragged her to one of her routine sonograms, and she heard her baby's heartbeat for the first time, she knew it was time she start taking better care of herself. So, she went out and found a job at a local hospital. She of course had to start her residency over, and she chose pediatrics as her new specialty. Sara has loved every minute of her "new" job, and is extremely grateful that she is able to continue practicing medicine after everything that has happened.

Sara smiled and rubbed her swollen belly as she felt her baby moving around, interrupting her from her thoughts.

"Are you coming by later for dinner? LJ's coming back from Chicago today. Plus, Sofia is cooking, and I know how much you love it when she cooks." Lincoln smiled as he thought of his son. He was so proud of LJ for going to college at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After almost an entire semester of being at school, LJ was finally coming home after finishing out his freshman year and his spring finals.

Sara knew how excited Lincoln was to finally see his son again, but knew Lincoln would play it cool, claiming his son coming home after months in another country wasn't that big of a deal. She decided to gracefully decline the invitation, "Sorry Linc. I already made plans with my DVR and a box of pizza tonight. Thanks for the offer though. Enjoy the time with your son and girlfriend," she smirked.

As Sara thought of LJ in Chicago, she longed to return to Illinois and the United States in general really. As much as she loved her life in Panama, she missed her home. However she knew returning to the US would also mean her arrest, and as much as she longed to get back to America, she would not have Michael's death be in vain. Michael's tombstone was also here in Panama. Even though they hadn't been able to recover his body, she couldn't leave her last connection to Michael behind. She planned on taking little Squirt to visit him often, and tell him stories of his daddy that gave everything to ensure his safety.

"Okay," Lincoln's voice interrupted her from her thoughts, "but if you change your mind, you know you're always welcome. We gave you a key for a reason," he said as he winked at her. When they first arrived in Panama and Sara still wasn't sleeping through the nights as she would wake up crying out for Michael, Lincoln and Sofia decided to give Sara a key to their house. "Just in case," they had said, but Sara was extremely grateful, as Lincoln had been there for her whenever she needed him. Michael would be proud.

"Thanks Linc. For everything," she said. "I should get going, and you should too. If Sofia has to slave away over a meal for YOU, you should at least be there to keep her company."

"You're right, you're right," Lincoln laughed. "Be safe getting home. And take care of my nephew!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Or niece!" she yelled back. "Bye Linc."

Ah so Sara, Linc, and the rest of the gang finally make an appearance. The rest of the story will pretty much go back in forth between life in Panama and life at the Company Headquarters in Florida. A little bit of a longer chapter to reward any readers that are still out there. Hope you're liking the story so far. Reviews are always welcome! Let me know what you guys are thinking :)