The steady trickle of rain pouring through the leaves of the willow tree seemed to only ricochet off of Jacks crisp blue air force dress uniform. They hadn't expected the rain but it was an appropriate send off. The view from the hill where they laid her body was a nice one. They buried her in the morning; the dawn light spilled over the hill and through the misty rain, shards of the dawn light, illuminated the horizon.
Standing over the freshly filled grave, Jack was alone now. He hadn't stayed there. As everyone else did, he'd left this place and had attended the wake, but as the day shifted into evening, he returned. The rain hand gone now, only to leave a glistening sludge of water to surround his boots. The sun had shifted to move behind him as it set and brought with it, the cold of night.
He wasn't sure why he'd felt compelled to return here, to have the last goodbye. Perhaps he needed to let go of her more then anyone else. He didn't wonder. He just stood there, staring down at the neatly engraved writing.
Jack sighed as he felt his eyes burn as he read the writing. He stuffed his trembling hands into his pockets and exhaled shakily.
"I never wanted this for you" he spoke finally as he let his breath come in long ragged gasps "I wanted you to have an honorable death, more then anything else about you, I wanted that"
He paused as he heard the shuffling of feet in the water behind him. He sighed knowing who it'd be.
"I thought I'd find you here" the soft words lingered in his ears "Daniel said you'd gone to the wake, but I had a feeling you'd return here"
"It doesn't seem right, you know" Jack spoke up, trying to ignore the pain in his voice.
"Yeah" she replied as she stood beside him and looked down over the writing "A beloved Daughter, College and Mother." She read out loud as she leant against Jacks shoulder and Jack nodded.
"She'll be missed" Jack said finally as he turned to look at the woman resting against him, delicate and beautiful in her civilian jeans and blue silk blouse, hidden behind an uncomfortable looking sling. "Thank you"
"For?" she asked smiling up at him
"Coming here, being with me" He smiled as he lifted a hand to rest on her shoulder "I know it must have been hard to come to terms with…"
"Shh, sir, its ok" she smiled weakly "It was hard…" she paused looking down at the grave "to trust you again" when her eyes lifted back up, they had tears in them "But I realized I could never hate you, no matter what you did" she finished as she turned to face him, gazing up at his eyes.
"Sam I…" Jack started when Sam placed a finger over his lips.
"I know Jack" she smiled as she placed her hand on his arm indicating he come with her. He nodded as he turned back to Sara's grave looking down at it finally and then pulled his gaze back up to Sam. She smiled sympathetically and shifted her hand from his arm to his hand, linking her fingers with his.
"Let's go"