Chapter 45

Birthmarks

Michael Russell opened his eyes only to encounter the most beautiful colored sky he had even seen in his life. Around him were tall woods, sunlight filtering through the leaves like a rain of gold. It was right out of a picturesque storybook, one too lovely to come out of this mortal plane.

But wait, he remembered pain and struggling to breathe in sweat soaked sheets.

He was no longer of the mortal plane.

Michael turned to his companion. This man, no, this angel was the last he saw with dying eyes and now saw first with eyes truly living.

"Is this what you see every day?"

"Yes, Michael. Every day for countless days."

The dark haired man took a deep cleansing breath. He was free of the disease that had killed him in the last torturous months. "But what do I do now, Andrew? Where do I go?"

The Angel of Death pointed to a meandering road leading to an unseen destination through the trees.

"Take this path, but as to what to do, well that's up to you," he said with a gentle smile.

Michael nodded and began walking, never noticing as Andrew disappeared to his next assignment. He didn't know for how long he walked, it could have minutes or hours. He wasn't sure if this was heaven or even purgatory, but it was peaceful.

Faces and figures of people flitted between the trees, a beautiful smile on a dark haired woman.

Mother…

She had passed on years before.

A dog's enthusiastic bark echoed off the boughs. That was his energetic Dalmatian, Katie, who died of old age when he was a teen! He knew he would find her later.

He continued his journey down the lane, further up and further in. He didn't even feel out a breath or even warm from his exertions. He glanced over and on the side of the walkway, a young man waved an affable greeting to him.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Michael acknowledged with a firm handshake.

The pair immediately launched into friendly conversation, everything from what made the better bait for fishing (the younger insisted on artificial lures while the older went with traditional worms), the best breakfast food (both men said pancakes), to favorite genre of novels (anything but westerns).

Michael thought he had found in his companion a kindred spirit, so easy to talk to with a friendly attitude.

"I wish I knew you before," he commented to the pleasant stranger.

The young man paused in their footsteps amongst the dappled rays of the sun. "I wish I knew you before too, Dad."

The elder's mouth dropped in shock. "I didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl. Penny wanted it to be a surprise. That maybe I would live longer to find out." He grasped his son by the man's strong shoulders. "How is this even possible?"

His son let out a handsome smile, "As Gramps would say 'Don't ask how. Just take the gift.'"

The father could feel their time in eternity fading, so he leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss atop his son's brow. The skin, where he touched it, turned a slight red, a small unnoticeable birthmark on the man's handsome features.

With the symbol of his father's unending love upon his brow, the son flickered out of sight.

Michael Russell walked on, looking forward to the day when he could reunite with his beloved son.

William Daniels is awesome as the father in this episode. Kathie Lee Gifford is great too. I've only known her as a morning talk show host. Andrew's comforting words about the other side was nice. Eternity in a single moment was the inspiration for this oneshot. Further up and further in is from the Chronicles of Narnia. I'm very slowly writing more one shots. The goal is to write one for seasons one to six. I don't want to do the Promised Land episodes, ugh.