Hey everybody! so it's being a long time since i've written a fic...i think pretty close toa year...anyways since season 5 is starting soon i thought i'd write a fic that starts at the end of season 4. It takes place directly after season 4 and it's about Tony and Michelle's relationship. I'm not sure if they is going to be a one-shot or not yet. I have some ideas for chapter 2 so let me know if its worth it to write another chapter. Review please! oh, btw there may be some mistakes cuz i didn't have it checked over by anyone else. Sorry. Thanks
Disclaimer: I don't own 24, but i do own Kiefer
Tony smiled across the conference table to Michelle. It had been 4 and a half hours since they had faked Jack's death and it seemed like their day was not even close to being finished. They were being debriefed by Bill Buchanan and they were going over the day's events. Tony's mind started to wander when Jack's name was brought up.
He couldn't even begin to imagine what Jack must be going through. Not only had he lost his wife to the job, he had almost lost his daughter and now he had lost his own "life". He had to completely start over. Tony understood what it was to start over. It wasn't to the extent of what Jack was going to have to do but he had to start over when he had divorced Michelle and now he was going to start again with Michelle.
Tony didn't want to think about leaving CTU again. He knew it was something he had to do with Michelle but working here again reminded him why he loved the job so much. As much as he was dreading leaving CTU he was also excited to leave CTU so that he could be with Michelle and to start a new life together, embark on some new adventures…and hopefully start a family together.
Tony smiled again at Michelle and this time he received a smile back. Michelle had told Bill Buchanan that they would be leaving CTU as soon as some replacements were found. Tony felt bad that Michelle had to leave such a well paying career where she was doing so well, but it was just too dangerous for them to continue. In the past few years they had been through so much. Tony had been shot in the neck; Michelle had been exposed to a deadly virus, and kidnapped. Tony had risked everything to save her life and had ended up in jail. It then ended up in divorce and than today she had almost lost him again to a hostage situation. He knew that if they stayed there something would happen. Something final. Something that couldn't be taken back or fixed.
Bill Buchanan wrapped up the debriefing and they were finally aloud to leave after being there for over 20 hours. It had been a long day and he couldn't wait to get home and sleep. But where was his home now? Not with Jen, that he knew for sure…but was it with Michelle? Would she take allow him back into her life that quickly after he'd been out of it for so long?
Tony walked over to Michelle who was just finishing up talking to Edgar.
"Hey Michelle, ready to leave?"
"Just a moment, I have to collect some things. I should be ready to go in about 5 minutes or so." Michelle then looked around to make sure nobody was listening to their conversation. Everyone knew that they were back together but she didn't want her personal life to be on display. "I think we need to talk Tony"
"I know. I was thinking we could go to that diner over on 5th and get a late lunch/early dinner and talk about everything that has happened to today. It's been a long day and there is so much to talk about."
"Alright let me just finish up here and we can go"
Tony left Michelle to get her things and headed over to his temporary workstation to pick up the few items that he had brought with him that day. He headed over to the door and waited for Michelle. She came over to him in a few moments and they headed out to her car.
The drive to the diner was silent, but it was not without many looks from both of them. Neither knew what to say. It had been a long time since they had been alone together.
Tony finally broke the silence. "How are you doing Chelle? It's been a rough day on everyone"
Michelle thought about his question for a minute before she answered. It had thrown her off that he had called her Chelle. He hadn't called her that in over six months.
"I'm okay. It's hard though. You know? So many things happened today and I just don't know what to do with some of them. Tony…I just don't know what's going to happen…I'm so confused about everything and I'm worried about Jack."
Tony was glad that Michelle opened up to him. When they had first started going out she was the open book and he was the closed one. But after he got sent to jail she became hard to read and would not open up very often about her feelings.
"I know its hard sweetie, but we're going to get through this. Jack will be fine, he is capable but I'm worried for him too…and I'm worried for Kim; she will never get to know the truth about her father's death. But I think the best thing to do is to try and put the past behind us and move on." With that Tony reached over and grasped Michelle's hand. He brought it up to his lips and kissed it.
Michelle smiled at Tony. She had missed being with him, but she still wasn't sure if she was ready to just dive back into things with him. She loved him, but they still had so many issues to resolve.
For the rest of the drive they remained silent but Tony kept a hold of Michelle's hand. He knew that they both needed that physical aspect to remind them that they were actually there. That they were both alive, and that they both had each other to count on.
While Tony was ordering his food, Michelle was thinking about what to say. She knew they needed to talk; they needed to start getting everything straightened out now.
Tony finished ordering and looked over at Michelle. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. He gave her a weak smile and started talking "Chelle…I...I was just wondering where you are right now. With us, I mean. I know where I am, but that doesn't matter, what matters to me is where you are with all this."
"I'm ready for us to start over, and I'm ready to leave CTU but I'm not ready to leave LA yet and I'm not ready for us to move back in together. I do know that today I thought I had lost you again, forever, and that broke my heart. I need to be with you for the rest of today and tonight. Will you stay with me tonight? I need you."
He reached over and grabbed her hand and began stroking it with his thumb. "I need you too, when I saw you walk into CTU it broke my heart all over again. I thought I would never have this chance with you again, and I don't want to mess it up. Of course I'll stay with you tonight. I'll be there for you always, whenever you need me."
"Tony…I...um…" Michelle couldn't get out the words…she was too nervous about his answer
"What sweetie? You can ask me anything, you know that."
"Okay um…what about Jen? What's going to happen with her?"
"Chelle…honey…you never have to worry about her. I never loved her; the only woman I've ever truly loved is sitting across from me."
Michelle smiled relieved "But what are you going to do about her? Are you going to tell her the truth?"
"After we eat, I'll drop you off at your place and I'll go tell Jen everything. Is that okay?"
"Yeah…but Tony…where are you going to live? I'm not ready to go that fast yet, I know if we go that fast it's going to bring up issues from our past. We need to work on our relationship slowly. We need to concentrate on rebuilding it and making it stronger."
"Chelle, don't worry. I respect that, and I agree. I can go stay at my sister's until we are ready to take the next step."
Michelle smiled at Tony. He had always been sweet and respectful of her but she could still tell he had grown since then. He had become even more respectful and if at all possible she loved him more than she had when they were married, but she wasn't ready to tell him that yet either.
Their food arrived and they ate in a comfortable silence. When they finished, Michelle paid because she knew Tony didn't have much money left after not working for so many months. They got back into the car and he drove her to her apartment and than headed back to his own.
Tony arrived at his apartment; Jen was still out working so he decided to gather up his things. He would take some clothes to Michelle's for the night but the rest he would drop off at his sister's. As he was finishing gathering his things up, Jen arrived home. When she realized what he was doing she got upset.
"Tony you're back with your ex-wife aren't you? Are you leaving me for her?"
"I'm sorry Jen, and I can't ever repay the kindness you've shown me the past few months. Yes, Michelle and I are back together. We are going to start a new life together. I'm sorry. What we had was wonderful but it wasn't everything and you deserve better. I know you will find someone that will be able to love you as much as you have loved me"
"I understand…I'm glad you are getting back with your ex-wife. You belong together; I could tell you never stopped loving her. I'm sorry what we had is ending, I really loved you.
"Jen, I did love you, not on the same level as I love Michelle and not on the same level as you deserve to be loved but I did and don't ever think otherwise. One day you will find a man that is willing to offer you everything I wasn't. When I get back on my feet I will send you all the money I owe you."
Tony gave Jen a hug and gathered the rest of his things. He felt bad that he was leaving her like this. She had tears rolling down her face.
He gave her one last smile and headed out the door to start his new life.
Alright let me know what you think! REVIEW PLEASE! i have some good ideas for chap 2 if you think i should continue. Thanks!