It was raining again.
Sara moved closer to the boulder of warmth at her side.
She was freezing under her flimsy clothing. Lincoln spared a quick glance down at her before wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder.
"Almost there, Sara." He whispered.
"It's been ten minutes." She stated. "Shouldn't they be out by now?"
"It's a big prison Sara. He could be anywhere." Lincoln assured her.
Sara nodded and turned her glaze back to the dark prison.
She had once thought Fox river was hard core but after seeing merely the outside of this building she knew different. She could only imagine the horrors that had taken place inside. Sara suppressed a shiver as she thought about Michael. He had been in there almost two weeks.
"God damn it." She heard Lincoln muttered, his own anxiety getting to him.
Sara looked up at him, "You once asked me to look after him. Do you remember?"
She waited until Lincoln had given her a brief nod. "Now it's on you again. You have to watch out for him. Don't let him do anything, anything, stupid."
Lincoln studied her face. "He won't let you go."
"Then it's your job to make him." She whispered turning back to the building as tears swelled in her eyes.
"Sara-" Lincoln started, rubbing his hand down her arm.
"Their coming out!" A voice shouted from behind them.
Sara felt Lincoln's hold tighten. She stared eager at the door, she felt on a brink of a nervous breakdown.
The heavy black doors opened into the night to relieve members of the swat team.
Two stepped out into the night, and then two more then-Sara froze.
Michael.
Sara was ripped in half. Part of her felt like she would die of happiness at seeing him
before her. Yet another part wanted death but for the opposite reason, He had been beaten. Badly. The bruises around his eyes and mouth were new, his clothing torn to reveled cuts and signs of abuse.
"Oh my god," Sara whispered. Suddenly she was grateful for Lincoln's strong arm around her as her knees faltered.
Michael glanced around the swarm of police officers, government agents, reporters, until he finally spotted them. He stared in shock at them. He couldn't move. This was a dream.
This wasn't happening. But the rain was pouring down on him soaking him to the bone. And he could still feel the pain of all his wounds. This was real. Just unbelievable.
Seconds later he watched Sara disengage herself from his brother and run towards him. It took him a few seconds to understand she was coming at him, and he was going to her.
Then suddenly she was on him, her arms latching around his neck, burying her face into his neck whispering words he couldn't understand. Words he should understand because he was whispering them back.
He wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed her.
She was real.
This was real.
He kissed her shoulder; it was all he could reach without moving. "Sara." He whispered on a sigh.
Sara pulled away bringing herself face to face with him. "I'm so sorry." She placed both hands on his face, tears streamed down her face.
Michael kept one hand on her back and the other held her neck. "Don't. No apologizes."
Michael could see Lincoln moving toward him, he smiled at Sara. "I've missed you."
She gave a laugh that was clouded with tears, "I've missed you too." She pressed her lips to his. Michael smiled, for the first time in two weeks. Since the moment he saw her on the boat, Michael allowed himself to smile. He felt her desperate kiss on his mouth and returned it with even more desperation.
"Alright Love birds." Lincoln interpreted gently.
Sara pulled herself away from Michael, and glanced back at Lincoln.
"Let me say Hi then you two can go back to making a show for the rest of us lonely bastards." Lincoln smiled sideways at Sara before giving his brother a one armed hug.
"Hey man," Lincoln muttered.
"Hey Linc." Michael smiled, he used one arm to greet his brother while the other still held Sara's waist, holding her close to him.
"You smell like shit." Lincoln smiled pulling away. "I'm surprised she's touching you."
Sara gave a light laugh. "Guess I've spent so much time with you I've gotten used to it."
Michael laughed out loud. "She's got you there."
Lincoln sent a fake scowl to Sara, "And this is the thanks I get for saving your ass!"
Michael pulled Sara closer; He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Can we get out of here?"
He felt Sara flinch under his hands. He saw his brother glance soberly at her then back at him. "What?" He panicked. They were hiding something he could feel it.
"Nothing," Sara replied quickly, she lifted her head to look at him. "Nothing."
"What's wrong?" Michael repeated.
"Mike-the only way we could get you out-" Lincoln started glancing uneasily at Sara.
"Lincoln! Stop!" Sara snapped.
"He's going to find out anyways, Sara!" Lincoln replied helplessly.
Michael tightened his grip on Sara. "One of you needs to tell me what's going on. Right now."
Sara looked up at him, "Michael…"
She was cut off by two police officers approaching them. "Sara Tendcredi?"
Michael released Sara and took a step in front of her.
"Michael-"Sara tugged his arm. "No,"
"What's going on?" Michael demanded.
"You need to come with us, ms. Tendcredi." The guard spoke again, barely sparing Michael a glance.
"I know-could I just have a moment more…please." She pleaded, moving to stand beside Michael.
"One moment only." The guard nodded and took a step back.
Michael looked down at her, "What the hell is going on?"
Sara lifted her hands back to his face, "Michael I can't let you pay for my crimes."
She felt him flinch and knew he understood what was happening.
"No," he gasped. "No."
"It was the only way, man." Lincoln said softly from behind Sara. "We went through all the proper channels and weren't getting anywhere…. it was all we could think of."
"No!" Michael glared at his brother then back at the woman in front of him. "No! I can't let you do this!"
"It's already done, Michael." Sara whispered. "Your free."
Michael grabbed her shoulders, "No. Sara. No. If this is the only other way I'll walk right back in there."
"I know," Sara felt tears fall from her eyes. "I know. That's why I can't let you."
She stroked his cheek as he rested his forehead on her's. "Sara-"he gasped.
"I love you." She placed a light kiss on his lips then pulled herself from his hold.
She spared Lincoln a quick glance before looking back at him.
"You deserve better Michael. So much better then I could ever give you." She took a backwards step toward. "Goodbye."
Michael started toward her, "Sara-" Lincoln shot in front of him,
"Calm down Mike." Lincoln whispered.
"I can't let-" Michael gasped. "I can't. Sara!"
Michael watched as the officer's cuffed Sara, she kept her eyes locked onto him the whole time. "Don't wait for me." She whispered. Tears streaming down her face. "Just go."
"No," Michael yelled, "Sara! Goddammit!" Michael pushed against his brother.
"Hey, calm down Mike!" Lincoln held him back.
"How can you let her do this?" Michael screamed. "Stop! Sara!"
The officer turned Sara and pushed her toward a van.
"Sara!" Michael screamed again, "Sara! No!"
Sara paused and glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Don't wait for me." She repeated a little more firm this time.
Michael watched in stunned horror as she was placed in a van.
She stared at him through the dirty windshield and lifted a hand against it.
He watched her mouth move, 'I love you'.
Then she was gone. And Michael fell against his brother in sobs, not caring for the dozen people who stood witness.