1960

"She loves the Earth," Anna smiled, handing her daughter a Lilly and moving blonde hair from the girl's eyes to behind her hair. "She loves the ocean." 

Finnegan nodded, mesmerized by the bright blue eyes that stared back at him, "She cried all morning till you came back. Now she's as happy as a lark." 

Anna looked over, her eyes looking intently at Finnegan, "She adores you you know." 

Finnegan shook his head, "I'm doing something wrong. She won't even look at me. You're her bridge to me, you're her world."

"Finn," Anna said taking his hand, "Finn we have to talk. You can't do this to yourself." 

Jane buries her fingers in the sand, the mud beneath her small nails as she watches with alert eyes the bees and butterflies, the swirling colors and humming insects that paint with a beauty all around her. She likes to feel the dirt and sands, the sun on her face. Sunlight, her mother is sunlight to her before she is Mom. Blonde hair sparkling in long strands of gold twisted up and back around again, a never-ending paradox that never ceases to amaze her young mind. 

"I trust we'll all be together, but I want to make sure you know what to do and-" 

"No," her father says taking Annas' hand, "Everythings going to be fine." 

"Finn listen to me- I can feel it, should something happen." 

"No." 

"You- You are the most loving, most kind and generous man I know. And we worked, we worked so hard to build what we have. And we will always have it, Finn. Nothing will take it from us. not governments, not fears, not stormy ocean tides, certainly not death." 

Jane laughs and glances between them, babbling, looking attentively to both before reaching up toward Finnegan with open arms and hopeful eyes. 

"I'm not afraid, Finnegan." 

He takes Jane, a shaky sigh felt as his heartbeats against hers. "I know you aren't. But I am." 

Jane jumps in the sands when he sets her down, hopping skipping. 

"A wave," she calls out to her father excitedly, bringing him closer to the waters "A wave, a vvave, a wave. Look! Look papa." 

"What did I tell you," Anna smiles, "She adores you. My two loves, a perfect picture." 

A photograph, he wishes he had something to take a photograph with. To freeze time on that perfect smile, chapped pink lips upturned on blotchy imperfect skin lit up by the warm sun. Frizzy hair tied back, exhausted eyes, sickly frame and yet, joy, pride. 

"I love you," he tells her later as the sky burns purple and red, Jane sleeping soundly against his chest. 

"Just a little while longer darling," she says in exhaustion, fighting the pain that comes often now, the sickness which takes over.  She leans her head on his shoulder and gives a shaky sigh as her eyes flutter closed.  "Hold fast."