Sara watched terrified as the remains of Dimitri lifted up and turned to ash as they blew away with the wind before her eyes.

And then she turned to Michael.
Michael's gaze left his bare chest and met her stare, his eyes intense.

"Sara", he said softly, almost so low she couldn't hear him.

She went to him, her mind reeling. Was she dead, was this it? Was she finally free to be with Michael?

He held out his hand. Sara hesitated for a moment and then slipped her fingers through his.

"It's time, Sara", he said, his tone somber.
Sara looked into his eyes to see the sadness reflected there.

"I don't understand, Michael, am I dead…or am I going back again"? She said never looking away from him.
If she really were to leave him again she wanted to fill her eyes with as much of him as possible for as long as she was allowed.

Michael nodded his head, motioning for her to look behind her.
Reluctant to take her eyes from him, Sara turned her head, taking in the sight behind her.

At the sight of the beautiful field of roses, she was filled with joy, the paper flowers beckoning to her. Sara looked back to Michael's sad smile, her own smile faltering in confusion.

"I don't understand ... you don't want me to stay with you…do you"? She questioned.
Michael sighed and let her hand go.

"It's not that I don't want you to stay with me, Sara… I do…more than you could know", he said and reached to stroke her cheek.

"It's just…I wanted you to have a good life, Sara... I watched you…everyday… at first I saw how I ruined things for you…and then I saw some happiness coming back into your life…I saw you getting closer to your father. I saw you finally getting on with your life after everything I had done; after all of the damage caused by knowing me…But now it's too late…now"…He faltered.

He looked away from her.

"Michael, you were the most important thing that ever happened to me, don't you see that"? She smiled softly.

"You were the love of my life…you still are…you always will be. I want to be here with you, it's what I have always wanted".

She reached and stroked his face making him look at her.

"I love you, Michael".
Michael's ethereal eyes filled with tears.

"I love you, too, Sara…I never stopped loving you; I never stopped waiting for you".

He lowered his face close to hers, his lips soft as they caressed her. Sara deepened the kiss, her mouth inviting his tongue to meet hers in a sensual waltz. She reached and felt his soft skin against her palm as she cupped his face.

He pulled back and Sara looked around her. They were now standing in the great field of origami roses. She smiled up at him and met his eyes. And then his great wings spread out from his shoulders; and his arms fell around her pulling her to him gently.

"Hold on to me, Sara", he voiced on the wind.
Sara nodded and wrapped her arms around him tightly…she would hold on alright.

She would hold on tight and never let go.

(The End)