Title: Standing In One Place
Author: Evil Little Dog
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: This is a derivative work, and, as such, I make absolutely no money writing this. Darn the luck.
Summary: Written for the following prompt: Burn Notice, Sam/Fi, Michael drowned during his swim back to shore after rejecting management in S2, and they pick up the pieces together.
Michael's body washed up to shore four days after Management took him away. The coroner confirmed his death was a drowning, as opposed to a bullet to the skull.
They buried him near his dad even though neither Sam nor Fiona could remember Michael having anything good to say about the man. Mattie wouldn't - couldn't - stay in Miami afterward. She rented the house to Sam, who was never sure if he liked staying there or not. It was one thing when Mattie was there, another entirely when he had the place to himself.
Fiona came over at night sometimes with beers (never yogurt). After one very long night turned into the sun pouring down on them as they sat in the backyard, Sam asked, "Did you expect this?"
Fiona shook her head, picking up Sam's bottle and downing half of the beer inside. "I figured Michael would live forever."
She hadn't cried at the funeral. Neither had Sam. They'd held up Mattie and Nate, made sure they stayed sane, then...
"I need my bed."
Fiona got to her feet, too, swaying. She looked at Sam. He stared back. When he licked his lips he could taste beer and sweat and dismay.
When he licked hers, he could taste beer and sweat and sorrow, but also, faintly, hope.
Maybe they could pull each other through this. For each other's sake, and for Mikey's. Sam wasn't going to get all gooey about it. But if they stuck it out, maybe they could heal.
~ end ~