Till Death Do Us Part

By: Meiko-chan

Fandom: Prison Break

Pairing: Michael Scofield/Alexander Mahone

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Prison Break is not mine. Period. But I'm just a fan among the many who enjoy slashable pairs.

"There's one big difference between you and I, Michael. You just proved it. You can't kill, and thats what it's going to take to stop me. Because I don't have the same reservations... two months... Panama... I WILL get you."

Alex Mahone had spoken those words, and Michael Scofield was left all alone in Panama two months later fretting over the next move. He'd been fighting for his life, fending off the enemies and manipulating everything in his path. Dead... everyone was dead. Everybody he truly cared about had been killed by Alex Mahone's word. He couldn't forgive him. In his solace, he'd come up with a way to get back at the man who wounded his fragile heart. He'd regretted not killing Mahone the moment he'd locked him up in the cage. It was his only opportunity to rid of him.

But Michael was having fun. It was a game of chase, the thrill of escaping from the clutches of evil. And Michael was suffering the consequences of his actions. Those words rung in his mind again...

"I WILL get you."

Was he so wrong? He looked out upon the street as he stood on the balcony shirtless, his hotel room overlooking the front of the building. Taxi's were dropping and picking up tourists, the bell boys aiding them with their luggage. There was a reason he'd gotten this room in specific and not the one that had the ocean view. He was watching and he was waiting. This time, Michael wouldn't reserve himself. Just as he was turning to go inside, he took one last glance upon a car that pulled in. His heart twisted in his chest as he recognized the man stepping out of it. Alex Mahone. He always felt the need to run for his life when that man was so close. But Michael had set his mind into focus - this time, he wasn't going to run.

Alex stood in the front lot and looked up at the building, admiring the fine architecture. As if by the pull of gravity, his gaze fell in the direction of Michael. This was it. Run or die. Both of them knew what the consequences would be if they didn't pull the trigger.

"Scofield..."

"Alex..." they both mouthed, soundless. To Michael's amazement, Alex Mahone took up a different posture. Standing casually, his body facing towards him he bowed and gestured for him to come down. There was reason enough to pull him away from the bedroom. They both couldn't afford the police on their backs in a foreign place.

Sliding the glass door shut, Michael threw on a collar shirt and gathered up the 9mm. Stuffing the weapon along the waistline of his jeans, he made his way down to the front of the building. Every second standing in the elevator made him agitated, dizzied with anticipation. He'd run away for so long, had waited so desperately for this moment. He would show Mahone he was capable. The taste of sweet revenge fresh upon his lips. Each step he took towards the FBI agent made his heart weaker, yet stronger all the same.

Approaching him was the not so difficult part. Actually bringing himself to say something cunning was. Mahone spoke first.

"Ah, it's so nice to see you again Michael."

"Save it. I knew you wouldn't give up searching for me, even if it would cost you your own life... your career."

"No longer an Agent, I'm afraid. You're right. You slipped from my fingers, like grains of sand, and took my job along. I wasn't about to let go."

Michael laughed for a short moment, shaking his head. Alex cocked his head and took a step towards the car, legs twitching nervously.

"But I'm not here to reminisce in the past. I'm here to finish this once and for all. Get in the car." Michael raised a brow.

"Always have been persistent." Alex scoffed and slammed the door shut once Michael had clambered into the back seat. He went around and slid in next to him, winding up the window to block out the wind and sun. The car rolled off the hotel lot and took a smooth ride through the city, heading out to the far side of the city.

There was tension between the two of the men, no words spoken to the other for quite a long duration. The moment Michael noticed that fields were rolling past them, he turned to look at Alex with an inquiring expression.

"Where are you taking us?" Alex stared out blankly in front of himself.

"Somewhere no one can find either of our bodies." Michael seemed a tad bit puzzled but steadily eased into the leather seats, gazing out of the tinted windows. He was thoughtful, thinking and plotting carefully.

"Why won't you just have at me here?" This made Alex look at Michael and scowl.

"You're a smart man, Michael, I'd have thought you knew better than to ask a question like that."

"I want to hear it from you. You've been after me for so many months, and now that I'm in your grasp you won't do what you need to do." Michael grinned as Alex shifted in his seat uneasily. "What was it that you told me back in Gila, something about not having the same reservations. Don't tell me you're getting a little soft, Alex."

"Am not." Alex blurted, blushing furiously as he looked at Michael with a glare. Michael couldn't help but to chuckle. "You laugh now, Scofield, but just you wait..."

"You talk big for a man of your stature." Michael cocked his head up in the same manner that Alex had done earlier. With a flurry, Alex had pushed a hand against Michael and was hovering over him, a gun held beneath his chin. He was furious, and Michael could see the anger boiling in those dark eyes.

"I'm a man of my word, Scofield. I would kill you in an instant. But let's just say I'm savoring these moments... "

"You killed them all without hesitation. Why do you hesitate now? You've stolen everything from me, all that I loved. You could take my life just as easily too. Do it right now. I dare you to." Alex hesitated. Michael could sense it, but he was unafraid. His heart was racing against his chest, yes, but he knew how Alex's mind worked, just as well as Alex knew how his own mind worked. This was a mutual understanding. Clasping the gun firmly, the man drew back and sat back comfortably, sliding fingers through his tangled hair. With trembling hands, Alex slid the gun into his holster and dug out a pen, screwing it open and popping it against his mouth. Sitting up straight, Michael tilted his head curiously as Alex swallowed the pill.

"I'm savoring these moments... I want to live this victory..." he breathed, words barely above a whisper. Michael couldn't help but grin at this weakness.

"And then what? Bury me under the bird bath just like Shales?" Alex growled and pressed fingers to his forehead to steady the oncoming headache. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're on the wrong side, chasing the wrong guy. You've killed too many innocents."

"All because of you!" Alex burst out. He was red with anger and glaring at the fugitive. Michael was taken aback. "You... clever brain... " he was laughing rather nervously, shaking his head, "If you cared about them, Michael, if you LOVED them you would have protected them better. They died because of you, and you would have killed me by now..." Michael wasn't even sure what to say at this moment. "But the fact is, Michael, you've become twisted just like me."

"You're wrong..." Michael shuddered, his voice cracking.

"I did it all to remove those close to you so I could get closer to you! I've risked everything, EVERYTHING, for you Michael! And you've done just the same! Admit it!" There was an air of uncertainty as the car came to a stop. It seemed as though Alex Mahone was right for once.

"You're WRONG!" Michael cried out. "I'd NEVER do anything of the sort."

"But you have, Michael, you have. You've risked their lives. For you, this was all a game. And a very interesting game it was. You were bored with your life. You could have let your brother die in prison if you didn't care so much about him. He was using you, just like how everyone has used you in the past. But no longer."

"I never wanted them to die. You killed them to test me, to build my confidence in killing you. And I will... I will when the moment is perfect." Alex laughed and kicked the door open, gesturing violently.

"Get out. We're going to take a walk." Michael could only follow him, hand pressing against the bulk of his own gun in preparation. They went over a small mound that sloped down into an empty field with trees scattered about in the far distance. It was a deserted place. Michael looked around curiously as Alex pushed himself further onto the field until he came to a complete stop. He turned to face Michael, who looked at Alex in a perplexing manner.

"The car?" Michael asked. Alex snorted.

"I've told him to wait. Whoever survives can go back and he'll take either of us wherever we need to go."

"So what are we doing, a wizards duel? Western cowboy style? Have a little chit chat before we shoot one another to death?" Alex couldn't help but laugh, waving a finger at Michael.

"Funny... very funny. No." With a quick motion, Alex had drawn his gun out. Michael reached to tug his own gun out but just as he had it in his grasp, Alex shot at his right shoulder, rendering his arm useless. Michael cried out as the pain shot through his body, grabbing hold of the wound firmly and stumbling back a few steps. His gun fell. Alex tilted his head back and sniffed the air calmly, filling his lungs slowly.

"Ah... you have no idea how long I've waited to do that. I'd have thought you changed, Michael, but it seems that you took my words for granted... my killing your loved ones for granted." He rolled his shoulders back, stretching and breathing in the non-toxic air. It was a refreshing experience. To finally get what he had hunted for all this time. Michael was growling, clenching his teeth firmly. He moved towards his gun and was bending down to pick it up when another gun shot sounded the air, the pain shooting up from his left knee. Another cry and Michael stumbled to the ground, holding his knee up against his body as he wrapped himself in the pain. The blood was pouring out, his nerves prickling and stabbing every particle.

"Bastard..." he breathed but Alex was chuckling out loudly.

"Good guys always win, Michael. You were looked at as a saviour to those boys in prison but they got what was coming to them. You've broken many rules, Michael, and that makes you the bad guy." Alex had stepped forward, crouching close to him and tilting his head to the side to get a different angle on the fugitive. "You look even prettier when you're in pain." he said, grinning. Michael spat out at him.

"You're not a good guy either, Alex... that makes the two of us. Killing for personal gratification? I've never done anything to you when I escaped from prison..." Alex scowled again and raised his gun up, crashing it down on Michael's head. Collapsed on the ground, his ears were ringing from the impact. He groaned and shifted his head sideways, his gun in plain view. Alex was now standing over Michael, aiming the gun at his heart.

"You're reserving yourself, Michael, break free from it. Don't you want to live? Weren't you supposed to kill me? I can't kill you unless you fight back, Michael! I NEED you to fight back!" Michael's heart clenched, stomach turning uneasily. Why? His mind was swimming, confused by his emotions at that point. Alex was a bad guy, he kept reminding himself. But for how long... how long until Alex went off to kill another innocent victim like his brother, his friends... Sarah Tancredi?

"So that you can savior this victory all the more... so that you can be glorified, tell stories about how you triumphed over Michael Scofield, the deadly fugitive?" Alex crouched over Michael, practically sitting over him as he pressed the gun firmly on his chest.

Another gun shot through the air. Both their gazes locked with anger and hatred. Alex, slowly, shifted uneasily from Michael's body and collapsed off to the side. Michael's heart was pounding in his ears, his breaths caught in his chest. He turned over as the pain coursed through his body and clenched firmly to his gun, quivering. He'd shot Alex... he actually shot Alex when he least expected him to. Breathing heavily, he sat up with great effort and looked over the man's body, watching him shake uncontrollably.

"... Mich...ael..." came a groaning voice. Michael wasn't sure how to feel. He felt completely numb, but he was hurting. Aside from the wounds caused on him, he was hurting elsewhere. Pain and regret washed over him like an electrical current.

"Good guys always win, Alex." his voice was strained, speaking between clenched teeth. But he managed. He could resist the pain, he'd been enough pain in the past as it was. "I did respect you... loved you, Alex... you were the only one who knew how my mind worked... but I didn't let it get in the way when it was necessary. I saved my life here... you could have saved yours by letting go of me." Alex stared up at Michael and tears were streaking down his red rimmed eyes.

"... I'll see you in Hell... Scofield..."

Silence.

With a great effort, Michael weakly limped away from Alex's unmoving body, heading back to the car.

He had to do what had to be done. Alex had gotten close to him, but he ran away again. Ran away from his greatest fear without admitting it. He pondered over the words he'd spoken. Maybe, just maybe, there had been an underlying message to everything Alex had said. Did the man care for him, too? There dawned upon him the realization that it was a possibility, that perhaps Alex was testing him to see if he'd confess it. Now he'd lost that chance. Worry came over him as he looked out at the passing fields, going back into the city. Tears came down his face like a waterfall. He couldn't stop them.

"You can't kill, and thats what it's going to take to stop me."

Michael had killed, stopped Mahone from killing him...

And now he was alone in the world once more.