She was beautiful, even when she cried.

I didn't like her standing in this wind, but I knew this was something she had to do. I just wish she wouldn't stare at the stone cross so intently. It's not like it's a living thing.

I wish I could take her pain away. I wish I could bring her up to Heaven with me, but she has far much more to love, to learn, and to live.

She hurts because I'm not with her anymore. She hurts because she wasn't there with me when my apartment caught on fire.

I see that she continually clucthes and rubs the Claddagh ring I gave her a week before my accident. I didn't tell her it was a wedding ring in nature because I was so nervous of her reaction. Love, loyalty, and friendship--we had all that, so there was no reason for me to have hesitated. Looking back now, every little thing like that seems so pointless, but I know, those trivial things are what has made all the difference.

I wish she could see me here, because I know that will comfort her.  So I'll settle for the next best thing...

She turns expecting the impossible...and finds nothing but the treeline. She stiffles her tears and steadies her breathing. "Please, baby, either I'm having a mental breakdown, or I heard your voice...". Her hand travels to her mouth as she gasps and begs, "Please, Nick, I know I heard you. I need you hear with me..."

She strains some more, and in the stillness of the dying wind, she hears two words.

One was 'love'. The other sounded like 'hope'.

She sinks back to the soil, but the tears have staunched themselves. There's a lull in the pain, because she knows. She as proof that Nick really did hear her.

She whispers, "I love you, too."

"Have hope, hunny. I love you so much," I breathe into her ear.

And I know, as she gets to her feet, she is able to carry out what she came to do at this cemetary, at my grave.

She breathes, "You'll always have my heart, Nick. And now that I know...God, I can believe what just happened, and it feels so damn good, that you're with me. Nothing can take away what we had. I love you. I love you, I love you."

I can hear the grief in her voice, but I spy something else that allows me an inner peace I've been striving for since the accident.

She finally has hope, and that is more beautiful than all of the Heavens combined.

As she turns the Claddagh ring around, with the heart pointing out, I'm enveloped in warmth. The sky turns to the purest of white, and I feel myself being pulled away from a world filled with pain, grief, and anger.

She whispers, "Goodbye, Nick."