I love Lincoln, Michael, and LJ, so I thought I'd write this. It's just a little one shot on how things could have gone at the courthouse when Lincoln and Michael went to go break LJ out but got held up by Mahone… Enjoy.

"I can't leave him, Mike" Lincoln said for what seemed like the two hundredth time.

"I know Linc. But now really isn't a good time. I mean, we don't even have a plan. Something could go wrong."

"If we don't get him now, we're never going to be able to get him. Today's his hearing. Tomorrow they'll be transporting him to an adult facility. It's now or never Michael."

Michael paused and looked at his brother thoughtfully, "Alright, tell me everything you know about the courthouse."

…45 minutes later…

"Otis elevator on the right… I wonder what he's planning." Mahone said as the elevator doors shut leaving him and LJ alone. Just then the ceiling panel was lifted back and Michael and Lincoln appeared above them. Lincoln took out what appeared to be a small black pistol and aimed it at Mahone. "LJ. Push stop."

LJ pulled the red stop button and immediately the elevator stood still. He looked back up at his father as if waiting for further instruction on what to do, but Lincoln was looking at Mahone instead. "Keep it in the holster and no one will get hurt."

Seeing his dad preoccupied with Mahone, LJ looked at his uncle. Michael gave him a smirk before he said, "Hey buddy, give me his gun."

LJ did what his uncle asked and went to grab Mahone's gun. At this Mahone seemed a little jumpy and began to fight LJ for his weapon before he was reminded of Lincoln and the gun that was pointed at his head. LJ handed his uncle the gun and Michael pointed the second gun at Mahone as well. LJ looked from his uncle to his father. Lincoln looked at him quick before returning his attention back to Mahone. "He's coming with us. And you're going to let him."

Seeing as there were two guns pointed at him, Mahone really didn't have a choice. He watched with frustration as Lincoln began pulling LJ up to him and Michael. Suddenly, Lincoln's gun fell and landed with a soft clatter at the floor of the elevator – a squirt gun. Mahone lunged for LJ's legs to pull him back down into the elevator with him. Michael pointed his gun at Mahone in a more threatening manner, "Hey, back off. Back off. BACK OFF!"

"Who are you kidding Scofield? You're not going to shoot anyone. Let the kid go and he can walk."

Michael, knowing that Mahone was right, abandoned his threatening demeanor and began to help Lincoln pull LJ into the elevator shaft with them. The two did what Lincoln alone was having trouble with and managed to get LJ safely up to their level, and not a moment too soon. Just as they had gotten the upper hand, Mahone kicked a button and an alarm began to sound.

Michael slammed the ceiling door shut and led the way out of the elevator shaft with his brother and nephew behind him. They reached the outside and heard alarms and officers yelling. They didn't have much time. With Michael leading and Lincoln bringing up the rear, the three escapees began running down the sidewalk when Michael spotted the perfect getaway truck. Officers began to attempt to bring them down and began firing their weapons.

Three feet from the truck Lincoln heard LJ cry out. He turned his head and saw his son begin to fall. Lincoln grabbed LJ before he had a chance to hit the ground. All Lincoln could think about was getting LJ out of there. Lincoln threw LJ into the passenger side of the truck and jumped in after him right as Michael began to pull away from the sidewalk. "Damn that was close. You okay Mikey?" Lincoln asked his little brother as they sped down the streets of Chicago.

"Yeah. You?" Michael asked - his eyes never leaving the road.

"Yeah. I'm good. LJ? You good? LJ?"

Lincoln looked at his son and was horrified to see what he hadn't seen before. Red scarlet blood was seeping from LJ's abdomen. LJ looked at his father with fear in his eyes. "Dad…"

"LJ! Damnit Michael! We gotta get him to a hospital!"

For the first time Michael took his eyes off the road and looked at his nephew, horrorstruck. Lincoln had clambered from his seat and was sitting on the floor behind his son, holding him in his arms. "Come LJ. You're gonna be fine. You just gotta hold on, okay? You're gonna be just fine. Come on Mike. Drive faster!"

"I can't go any faster Linc! Trust me. I'm trying as hard as I can!"

Michael kept looking back and forth from the road to his brother and his sixteen year old nephew. With each glance, LJ seemed to be getting paler and paler. "Dad… I'm scared."

"Don't you talk like that. You hear me LJ? I don't want to hear you talk like that. You're going to be just fine." He was crying. Lincoln never cried.

LJ's blood was all over the place. The truck was covered. Lincoln was covered. Yet more seemed to be coming out of LJ's wound. It just didn't want to stop bleeding. Michael began to mentally beat himself up. He should have held his own with Lincoln earlier. He shouldn't have given in and came to get LJ. If they would have just left him, he would have been fine. Maybe going to prison, but at least he would be alive.

Michael and LJ looked at one another at the same time. Michael was unable to tear his gaze away from his nephew's eyes. Eyes that were once full of the life and laughter of a sixteen year old but now were on their way to becoming empty and lifeless. He couldn't take it anymore. Michael pulled the truck off onto a secluded alleyway. "MIKE! What are you doing?!?! We've got to get him to a hospital!"

"Linc… He's not-"

"-Don't you dare say it! He's gonna be fine. Okay? LJ… You're gonna be fine!"

"Uncle Mike… he's right dad," LJ choked out. The blood was beginning to run from his mouth in a little stream. "I'm not gonna make it."

The three men sat in silence which was only broken by LJ muffled choking sounds. Lincoln silently sobbed into his son's hair while he clutched LJ to his chest. "Dad…"

Lincoln swallowed the lump that continued to rise in his throat, "Yeah LJ?"

"I love you."

Lincoln closed his eyes and absorbed the words that his son had spoken to him. Words that he would never hear from his son again.

"I love you too, LJ. I love you, too…"

THE END