Title: THE CHILD

Characters: Michelle Dessler/Tony Almeida

Rating: T

Summary: Guess when Michelle found out that she's pregnant? Right in the hotel of Season 3! Will she tell Tony? What will happen next?

Disclaimer: I do not own Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler or any of the other mentioned "24" characters.

Author's Notes: The idea of this story is from "24Inside"-the talk show that got both Reiko and Carlos on. A letter from the audiences assumed that Michelle's survival was due to her pregnancy which she didn't know, and some extra thing in the blood prevented her from the virus. Reiko and Carlos thought it was a very good idea, so I wrote this story, somehow I always hope that they would have their own child.

This is my very first Fanfiction and seeing that english's not my first language, please be nice and please feel free to point those annoying mistakes out! THANK YOU!

Coming out of the basement, seeing Gael suffering so badly from the virus, Michelle could barely brush the thought away that she would end up like that too. What about Tony? What's he gonna do if I really was exposed? That made Michelle so sad that she raised her hand and covered her mouth to prevent the urge to cry, and just at that moment a wave of nausea came through her whole body, Michelle had to press her hand harder over her mouth. Oh God, not again, not at this time! Michelle silently prayed.

After asking Tony for the capsules on the Phone, Michelle helplessly stared at the queue of the symptomatic people getting longer and longer, men and women, husband and wife, brother and sisters, parents and child. Michelle lowered her eyes and suddenly that wave of nausea brushed over her again, she had to cover her mouth and walked quickly into the bathroom nearby, not wanting to draw anyone's attention.

"Michelle? Are you ok?" Sunny from NHS followed her and waited outside the bathroom when she heard Michelle throwing up.

The door opened, revealing the pale face of Michelle. "Sunny I might need your help."

"How long have you been like this Michelle?" After taking another test sample in a private room Sunny asked Michelle.

"Since yesterday. Is it possible? I mean, I'm not sure, my period is irregular since I started working at CTU so It's hard to tell, I can't tell..." Michelle raised her voice subconsciously.

"Well, judging from the stomach pain you described and the difference you felt in the breasts and feet, it's likely. But there's always a chance that it might be a false alarm before the results come out." Sunny put her hand on Michelle's shoulder to calm her down. Both knowing what it meant if THIS test results turned out positive. Both went silent.

"Does Tony know?"

"No." her voice was so light that Sunny could barely heard her answer.

Silence.

"Please don't tell him about this, not now."

"Ok. The results will come back along with the results of the virus in 2 hours."

"Thank you."

Sunny left the room, Michelle's left alone, deep in thought.

For the first time of the day this tough agent and strong woman allowed her thought to wander for a minute. Now she's started to wander why she asked Tony for those capsules, if Tony found out will he hate her. Should she tell him, if either one or both of the results turned out positive? If both of them turned out positive should she take the capsule? Her head was completely a mess, she didn't even know where to star to think, what she knew was that how much she hated the situation and how much she hoped that Tony would be there to hold her in the arms and comfort her as well as how much she didn't want Tony to call her and ask how she was holding up.

She desperately wanted to know how Tony would think about this, but on the other hand she half wished that she'd hide the second results from Tony when it's over. But, he's the father, he deserves to know no matter it's true or false, not to mention their promises of a honest relationship to each other from the beginning. Thinking of the secret mission he's been hiding from her, Michelle sighed, see how this has hurt both of them so much. Hiding things from each other will not help them at all no matter it's work-related or home-related. She decided she would tell him everything, at the right time.

"Tony, I realised that we've been both talking around this but, what if my test comes back positive?"

"Michelle don't go there..."

"Sweetheart we both know that my chances of survival are low"

"you still have a chance, while you still have a chance I don't wanna talk about this"

"Ok, Ok, just..." Michelle trailed off.

Should she tell him now? Is it the right time?

Yes, of course, the promise remember?!

No, can't you see he has enough to deal with, this will only make him worry about you more!

pause.

"No matter what I just want you to know, the last three years've been the best years in my life."

"I Should be there with you!"

"You are."

Hanging up the phone, Michelle's eyes were caught by a little girl, her long and blond hair falling down, turning her head and spotting Michelle before going behind that pale plastic curtain with her mother hand in hand. That innocent look in the little girl's eyes struck Michelle, she might have no idea what had or what would happen to her and her mother. She and Tony haven't even had a child before her...she didn't want to think that word out loud. She and Tony had always liked children, they had had so much fun with the kids when Danny was out of town last weekend, and now she doesn't even know if she could go out of this place and bring up this subject with her husband, alive. If the second results turn positive, she doesn't know if her baby, their baby would have the chance to be born.

The next 2 hours went unbelievable slow for Michelle, and then came the test results.