Nausea and fear swam through Sara's body as she ran after her husband. She'd been in situations where her life was at risk, she'd been beaten, tortured, electrocuted and drowned, but she never felt as terrified as she did now. If this went wrong, if this failed, her and Michael would rot in prison for the rest of their lives and their baby, her precious glimmer of hope, would grow up a child of the state not knowing their parents, only from what social workers told them.
"Sara, come on," Michael urged, looking back as they raced through tunnels and eventually they ended up in the engine room of the prison. Michael pulled out something which looked like a credit card and Sara stood next to him, shaking, as he swiped it.
"Beyond this door should be a hundred yards of tunnel. On the other end of that is Linc, and after that there's a boat mounted for white sands at blue water." Sara looked up at him as he carried on talking. "A power surge to the system will override the reader just for a few seconds, just long enough for you to open that door, so get ready."
Nothing happened. He swiped again, but still nothing.
"I was afraid this might happen." Michael ran a hand over his head, wondering how he was going to say goodbye to the love of his life. He exhaled loudly, his insides turning to mush. He momentarily looked at Sara and wanted to break down, take her in his arms and plead his apologies to her. But he had to stay strong; he had to for her sake.
"It's ok, its alright." He managed to lie, without a quiver in his voice. "Were going to keep moving and we're gonna find a way out of here."
Michael managed to find the central power unit and smashed open the doors, revealing an array of coloured cables. He swallowed hard and fought back the tears misting his eyes. Any outburst of emotion would show Sara that something was wrong.
"This is the main fuse. If I yank that, everything will go dark for a second. If I reconnect these two cables there'll be a lot of noise, every light bulb in this place is going to blow. As soon as that happens I need you to open that hatch, and I want you to start running."
"Okay,' she said, dragging the last syllable in her mouth. "What about you? Michael?"
Michael walked towards his wife. God, she was so strikingly beautiful. Even in her prison clothes, her beauty shone out at him. The fear was etched into her eyes but even so he allowed himself to get lost in them one last time before speaking the heartbreaking truth.
"Sara." The words wouldn't leave his throat. He couldn't break her like that, but there was no choice. "Someone has to stay here and open the hatch. And that someone's gotta be you."
Sara understood what he was saying but refused to believe it.
"Ok, so I'll leave it open for you."
"You don't understand. This is the only way." He cradled her face in his hands, the tears spilling down her cheeks. She shook her head and Michael's eyes became misty; he fought so hard to keep the tears at bay but one escaped, trickling down his face painfully slowly.
"I'm not leaving unless you're coming with me!"
"But I am coming with you." He managed a weak smile and rested his hand on Sara's stomach, his last form of contact with his unborn child.
"I love you." Sara said, her voice breaking.
"God, I love you too." They shared a kiss for the very last time and every ounce of emotion and love poured into it. Their hot salty tears mingled on their faces and Sara couldn't breath but she didn't dare leave Michael's lips. He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him.
"Go," he whispered, touching her face for the last time. "Go Sara!"
She whimpered and walked towards the exit door, her legs shaking and she wasn't sure if she'd actually be able to run out of here. She turned, looked at Michael for the very last time and suddenly there was an almighty display of sparks and light. She door burst open and tears began to fall from her eyes before the sobs racked through her body. An alarm was sounding and she knew she had seconds to leave, but not without him. She'd made her vows on her wedding day and she sure as hell was going to stick to them.
"Michael!" She yelled. "Michael! Michael!"
She ran and saw his lifeless self on the floor and suddenly, finding a surge of energy in her body, she somehow managed to get him up and put him over her shoulder. Sara was a slender woman and Michael, at 6'2, weighed a considerable amount more than she did, but by some sort of a miracle she managed to carry him through that tunnel and to the outside where she could finally see her brother-in-law.
"Sucre!" Lincoln called. "Help me, we haven't got much time!"
Lincoln and Fernando bundled Michael into the back seat of the black jeep which awaited them; Sara slipped in the car, numb.
"We have to get to a hospital, he's unconscious!"
"Sara there isn't time!" Lincoln yelled, starting the engine and screeching off. "Sara we can't."
"He's your brother damn it Lincoln, he risked it all for you!"
"You think I wanted this?" Lincoln bellowed. "You will rot in jail! Michael will too, and your baby will have no parents. Sara I'm sorry we have to go!"
"Fernando, I'm going to begin CPR on Michael," she started, and Sucre looked back at her, scared out of his wit.
"When I say, you need to blow into Michael's mouth."
"Uh, doc I've never done…"
"Just fucking do it alright?"
Sucre looked terrified but kept his composure for the sake of Sara. He knew in his heart that Michael wouldn't make it but he cooperated, for Sara's sake. She began pumping his chest, her face screwed up with concentration and anguish.
"Come on Michael, don't give up on me, we've come too far. Sucre, now!"
Fernando cleared his airway and blew, but still nothing.
"Again, come on Michael God damn it!"
But there was still no sign of life.
Lincoln had pulled the car over, a risky move and was sitting in the drivers seat, sick to his stomach, but not saying a word.
"Come on!" Sara yelled, tears cascading down her face. "Don't you dare give up on me now!" Loud cries wailed from her mouth and her heart was being torn apart. The pain she was feeling now was nothing compared to Gretchen tearing the skin out of her back, or the electrical current running through her body while she was being forced underwater. She'd willingly go through that again if it meant Michael would live.
"Wake up!" She pleaded. "Please, Michael, wake up!"
Everyone else was silent, not knowing what to say, trying to process the situation. The only sound was Sara's cries.
"Michael," she whispered. "I love you. Please."
Suddenly, a miracle happened. Michael took a gulp of air as he came back to life, exactly the way Sara did when waking up from her overdose. It took a couple of seconds for him to open his eyes and recognize Sucre's face in front of him. He tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out.
"Welcome back Papi!" Sucre laughed, and there was a hint of a tear in his eyes.
"Sara," Michael croaked. His voice was hoarse and weak and barely above a whisper but he was speaking. "Sara. Where is she?"
"I'm here Michael, I'm here." She took his face in her hands and made sure he felt that she was there as he couldn't turn to see him. Lincoln had his head in his hands, obviously trying to hide his emotions from the rest of the group. Alex just smiled; a man of not many words, he didn't need to say anything.
"We're ok, we got out and we're ok."
He tried to sit up and groaned in pain when he realized he couldn't.
"Nah uh stay there."
"How…did I get out?"
"I carried you," Sara said, wiping her eyes as the tears continued to fall. They dripped onto Michael's face.
"Why are you crying?" He tried to move his arm to find her face but the pain was too much right now.
"Because I love you, that's why!"
They had finally reached the small harbor just before daybreak, the boat waiting to take them to Sofia and LJ and their new life in Panama. Lincoln and Alex helped Michael out of the car and although he was still weak, he was adamant to walk alone.
"This is it papi," Sucre said, enveloping him in a hug. "I'll miss your sorry ass!"
"The feeling's mutual!" Michael laughed, and thanked Alex too for everything. In this wretched experience, he was thankful for the true friends he had made. This wasn't the last they would see each other, he was sure of that.
"Take care of your baby," Sucre finished, as he kissed Sara and wished her well.
"Take care of yours!" She replied and beamed him a smile, a smile full of hope and promise.
"Are you ready to sail off into the sunset Mrs Scofield?" Michael took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
"I've never been more ready!"
As the sun rose and glistened into the ocean, the star-crossed lovers share a kiss, thankful that it wouldn't be their last. They were free now, finally they were free.
So, what did you think?! A much better ending no?! Let me know and leave me a review please :) xoxo