The Space In Between Us

MS Knowing the truth is a constant headache, Plan C is a big problem, following a lead is a dangerous task and being on death row is deadly in itself.

Chapter One: Look At The Mess I've Got It In

Disclaimer: Let's see, I own my Muse, my imagination, my dreams, the fangirl in me and not a whole lot else. Fox I worship the ground you metaphorically walk on.

A/N:- I've roughly planned this fic and its sequel out and while there's an obvious focus on certain characters, I guarantee that the other characters will make appearance ……. if not in this fic then in the sequel.

Sara stared at the sheet of paper in front of her and even though she had read it over three times already, she proceeded to read it through again. Suddenly everything over the past month started to make sense …… When she had gone to see Veronica and Nick yesterday and had heard their case, she too had come out believing that Lincoln Burrows was innocent and that he had been set up … but there was something else that Veronica had said …. Something about how she knew that Michael would do anything to get Lincoln out of there. That coupled with the fact she knew about Michael's amazing ability to retain information and plan things out and his impeccable high-achieving past, it all suddenly dawned on her.

It was all a lie.

The sheet in front of her confirmed that he wasn't really diabetic.

So why did he go to all these lengths to say that he was? To get into the infirmary, to see her? No she was just an accessory. Maybe the infirmary was his main route on the escape plan he had going on …. He must have done his research very thoroughly, which mean he researched her and knew all about her …. She didn't mean anything to him … all that charm he worked, the smiles, the fact he came back to save her during the riot … it was just because he needed her. She was a pawn.

And she hated herself for falling for him.

She never let herself have feelings like that or bring her defences down but there had been something about him ….

He was a good actor damn him. It had all been a lie created to suck her in and she, like a fool, had fallen for it.

He started to stir on the hospital bed and she rubbed her face in her hands for a minute to clear her head before turning to face him.

"How do you feel?

"Groggy."

"That would be from the anaesthesia." She told him.

He slowly swung his legs off the bed and sat up as she handed him his painkillers.

Michael held the paper cups and tried to get his head in gear. Last thing he remembered was Sucre peeling the guard suit off and then everything was a blur. He gulped down the pills and looked around.

"It's night time. You should be off shift." Michael said observantly.

Sara had her back to him, locking the painkillers back into the medical cabinet. "I know."

"You just wanted to spend the night with me eh?" Michael said with a small grin.

Sara turned round and by the look on her face he knew immediately that something was wrong. There wasn't a hint of amusement in her eyes and her face was stony and cold.

She sat down on the chair opposite him, her hands clasped neatly in her lap. "Michael you know that day when you were in the yard and I opened up to you?" He nodded unsurely. "Well, I think it's time you did the same to me." She said, staring at him, trying to read his facial expression.

Michael felt her eyes bore into his and he felt distinctly uncomfortable. The guard suit – Sucre hadn't been able to get the whole thing completely off – Sara was sharp – she must have seen the cloth in his wound. He couldn't explain that so he thought the safest option would be to delay the questioning. "Well, I hate Brussel sprouts. Lincoln loves them and I used to remember at Christmas dinner every year he used to pile my plate high with them in an attempt to convert me and every time I complained he simply added one more." Michael said with a quiet chuckle. He looked back up at Sara. Her expression hadn't changed. She meant business and he had no idea what to say.

Sara looked at him, surprised to see him actually looking scared, afraid of what she was going to say next but then immediately she recalled all the feelings that he made her feel and coupled with the bitter twist of betrayal, she was resolved to get to the bottom of this. "How about we start with some answers to my many questions. Anything you want to tell me about your medical history?"

It was a real effort for Michael to hold her gaze this time but he knew the moment he looked away was the moment the whole thing collapsed. Even so, as he looked into her eyes he knew that she knew the truth anyway and the fact that she knew he wasn't diabetic caused a whole series of problems much bigger than if she had just noticed the guard uniform.

"You played me Michael." She said, her eyes no longer able to hide her disappointment and betrayal. "And I need to know why."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Michael was cornered and none of the excuses that ran through his head seemed to be as powerful or as believable to nearly make the elaborate lie he had dreamed up plausible. For a split second he considered telling her the whole truth since it seemed that a smart woman as herself would certainly have put two and two together with all the information she had but admitting to it was a different matter. He slipped off the bed and took a step towards her. "It's not like that."

Sara stood up and turned away, her back facing him. "I'll tell you what it's not like." She said forcefully. "It's not like you're not living a lie, it's not like this is the only thing you've lied about and it's not like you're the only one who's standing to get hurt in all this."

"Sara …" Michael said, touching her lightly on the shoulder.

She spun round angrily. "Don't touch me." She seethed.

The door flung open and Michael took a few steps backwards to the bed.

"Everything okay in here?" The guard asked looking from Sara to Michael and back again.

Sara touched her forehead to her hand and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Yes thanks Pete. We'll be done in a minute."

"Okay." Pete said shooting Michael a suspicious glare before closing the door again.

When Sara turned round again her eyes were glistening with silent tears. "No more lies Michael. You're planning something. You came in here with the plan already made. You researched everything. You researched me. I bet you know everything." She said her voice hurried but hushed.

"Not everything." Michael said quietly. He felt guilty, yes he felt guilty. So guilty in fact that if he wasn't doing it to save his brother he would hate himself right about now.

Sara shook her head, sparks practically flying out of her head. "I was just a tool." She said, her voice thick with resentment. She turned around and walked over to the medical cabinet, starting to rearrange things inside to keep her hands busy.

"It's not like that." Michael said forcefully. "You could have been sixty years old, male with a beard and I would still have pretended to have diabetes to get in here." He paused, wondering if saying this would push her further away from him than before. "Trust me falling for you wasn't part of the plan." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sara froze. She wasn't stupid and she certainly wasn't blind and ever since he first set foot in this room she had been aware of the sexual tension between them. Sure they had flirted and exchanged looks but she had never expected to hear him say something like that out loud. And it totally threw her off. She closed her eyes wishing she could have been able to read him as he was saying that. She felt so conflicted. She wanted to believe what he was saying without setting herself up to get hurt again but how was she to know he wasn't just playing her in another attempt to regain her trust and for her to keep his secret. She sighed. The sad thing was, she wasn't about to tell anyone about the escape plan anyway – no matter how betrayed she felt. "Leave me Michael." She said steadily.

"Sara …"

"Just go. Please."

Michael stared at the back of her head with regret and it surprised him that the foremost thought in his mind was not the fact that the whole escape plan might have just blown up in his face but the fact that he might have just lost her.

A/N:- Thoughts on the opening chapter?