Tony couldn't believe it. He was being released! Released from that cold, dark damp prison, where he had been confined to a small, grey box with bars for at least twenty-two hours everyday, for the past six months and eight days. He was going to see Michelle again, to do what he chose everyday, to see his parents, to be free!
"Almeida, sign the form and stop daydreaming!" the guard barked at Tony, glaring at him impatiently. Tony glared back; he wasn't afraid of these arrogant guards anymore, he was being released. He signed the form in front of him, after quickly checking it over. He still wasn't one hundred percent certain that this wasn't all a cruel joke, and in a minute he was going to be whisked away back to his cell. If it was, Tony didn't think he would be able to bear it. Suicide had crossed his mind regularly, particularly during the past month. He knew that his hope was so close to being completely diminished, that if he didn't get out now, he wouldn't be able to keep going.
The irritable guard grabbed the form from the table, and sneered at Tony. "You won't be able to keep out of prison. You'll be back within two months, everyone always is." Tony felt a familiar surge of hatred for the guard, but managed to keep his mouth shut, as he had learned to do during the past six months. Any comment that was slightly out of place, and the punishments rolled in. It had only taken him five days to learn that, and it wasn't something he was going to be able to forget in a hurry.
"Stand up" ordered the guard. Tony rose slowly, calming himself down with the thought of home. He followed the guard through the door, and down a long white corridor. They reached the end, and the guard turned to Tony before unlocking the door. "There's a woman here to collect you. Go with her, and get out of here quickly. We don't have time to wait around while you reminisce". Tony's heart leapt as the guard turned back to the door, and swiped his card. Michelle? He stepped through the doorway and heard a gasp.
"Tony!" Michelle flew across the room and hugged him tightly. Tony hugged her back, but felt awkward with the guard behind him, and desperately wanted to leave the prison quickly. He pulled away roughly, and spoke to Michelle. "Can we get out of here?"
"Yeah, um, car's outside" she replied, replacing the hurt look on her face with a faint smile.
They walked towards the main door, and the guard on duty opened it. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Tony stepped outside. He stood still for several moments, taking in his first breath of freedom, then stepped after Michelle.
She stopped outside a blue car. Tony gave her a quizzical look; this wasn't their car, was it? "I bought a new one last month" she told him. Tony felt a slight twinge of annoyance; Michelle was out buying a new car while he was stuck in his cell, serving a life sentence, contemplating suicide.
They climbed in, and Michelle began driving. "Any other new possessions?" he was tempted to ask. "New house? New… man?" But prison had taught him that keeping your mouth shut is the best tactic, and he stayed silent.
Michelle tried to make light conversation during the hour-long drive home, but Tony was reluctant to talk.
"Did you get my last letter?"
"Yeah."
"Now that you're back, we can decorate the kitchen together. Like I said in my letter, I can't decide on the colour of the walls"
"Yeah. We can."
Michelle glanced at him worriedly. "Are you… alright?" she asked him, tentatively.
'Alright?' Tony thought, anger welling up inside him. 'Over six months in prison for treason, betrayed by everyone at CTU who I thought were my friends, been through hell, haven't held a conversation with anyone in the past four months, and I've seriously contemplated suicide on many occasions!'
Tony sighed. "Yeah. I'm just… tired".
The rest of the journey passed in silence. Michelle was worried about Tony, but Jack had warned her that he might be bitter about his time inside, and that he may need a bit of time and space. She wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be ok now, but didn't know how he would react. Tony sat staring out of the window, feeling awkward. He knew that Michelle and Jack did everything they could to get him released, and that he should be extremely grateful to Jack for persuading President Palmer to pardon him, but a part of him wondered what had taken them so long.
Michelle parked the car on the drive, and they got out. Tony looked up at the house and felt worried. This no longer felt like home; he felt like a visitor. The house looked quiet and empty.
He followed Michelle through the front door. "Do you want lunch?" she asked him.
"No, thanks. I ate at… I already ate." He looked up at Michelle, and they stood in the hallway, locked in each other's gaze. She moved towards him, when the phone rang. Michelle jumped, and answered it quickly.
Tony moved past her into the lounge, taking in the new colour scheme and the new sofa. He could hear Michelle still talking on the phone, so he walked upstairs, to see what else she'd decorated while he'd been away.
He pushed open the bedroom door and stopped, shocked. It was exactly how he had left it; his clothes were strewn over the floor by his side of the bed and his book was lying on the table by the bed, with a bookmark at his page.
It hit Tony how much his going away must have meant to Michelle, how she must have missed him as much as he missed her. He felt suddenly guilty for treating her coldly when she picked him up, and felt a desperate urge to wrap her up in his arms and feel safe, when he heard Michelle laughing on the end of the phone. Resentment bubbled up inside him as he heard Michelle enjoying herself…without him. He felt angry, so angry at the fact that while he had been struggling in prison, Michelle had been enjoying her life with her friends.
He threw himself facedown onto the bed and closed his eyes, trying to block out his surroundings and feelings as he had done so often in his cell. It worked. Within minutes, he had fallen asleep.