A/N: So here is our second collaboration with the fabulous author and our friend Amanda Hawthorn. This story covers the confrontation on the rooftop at the end of 7.12 & beginning of 7.13. We have each taken a character and written from their point of view but presented it in an integrated story this time.
So, to all the burners out there: Thank you for your continued support of Burn Notice Fan Fiction. There seems to be a problem with the email alerts, so check the boards often. There are new chapters aplenty posted. A new chapters of Aiden, Bed Time Stories and Puppies, Kittens & Gun Toting Babies have all been posted this week, as well as other great stories, so have a read =)
TRUE BELIEVER – Part 2
From the helipad there was a clear view for miles around, though much of the roadway was hidden by the trees and bushes surrounding the facility. It was cover that their own men were using to remain hidden in preparation for the fire fight which was about to happen.
Sonya could feel the tension growing in her muscles as she thought about what was about to occur and the sacrifice that the most important man in her life was about to make.
"Here comes James. He's about five minutes out." Michael turned from staring at the horizon to looking at his colleague. "Any sign of the CIA convey?"
"The men out on the road said they drove by two minutes ago," Sonya replied, returning his gaze and wondering if he was filled with as much anticipation as she was. "They'll be here right on time. When James lands, I'll need to get on the helicopter as fast possible. We can only jam the CIA's radar for a short window of time."
The blonde operative searched her companion's face, remembering his abrupt departure to deal with his family and friends earlier and wondering how truly committed he was to their organization and the leadership role that James had bestowed on him. If James was wrong... She shook away the doubt.
James didn't make mistakes. She had bet her life on that more than once.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." The dark haired man's expression softened. "For now..." he amended, a slight smile on his face.
This was what he wanted, he told himself. His friends and family would be safe and the CIA could no longer use them for leverage or dictate what he did with his life. No more self absorbed politicians sitting dark rooms making rules for other people to follow, giving orders for other people to carry out. He would do what he felt was right.
The burst of static from the radio on her waistband captured the blonde's attention and instantly put her on full alert. If a CIA team slipped through their defenses at such a critical time, it would ruin everything.
"Sonya, this is Cooper at the rear exit. I need to ask you…." The voice cut off abruptly and Sonya felt a jolt of concern. If something went wrong...
"Cooper? Cooper…? Cooper, come in… What did you need?" When she got no reply, Sonya looked over to Michael. "I'll go check, make sure there's no problem." And then, before he could reply, she took off.
Michael stood looking at the horizon, watching as James' helicopter and his new destiny approached. There was a part of him that felt badly for what happened between him and Sam, but the older man just didn't understand.
It was over for Sam, he was retired... he should be retired, except Michael kept dragging him into things... well, no more. He had resources now... he had an organization backing him this time instead of trying kill him and his family. No one else was going to die because of the work he was doing.
His friends could go on with their lives just as they had done while he was in the Dominican Republic, without them getting entangled in his life, without them having to take any more risks or getting hurt. He would be gone and they would safe...
Fiona raised her hand to shade her eyes from the sun and looked at the figure who she instantly recognized. Michael's back was towards her, but already she could feel her heart hammering inside her chest when he seemed to sense her presence.
Mr. Westen turned slowly, refusing at first to believe what he was seeing. "Fi…?"
Watching the man she loved, sheer determination shone from her eyes as she held her head up high in a bid to see how he was going to react to her being there. His name slipped from her lips, delicate, yet determined at the same time, "Michael…"
"Fi!" What was she doing here? What was she thinking? They had to stay away, she had to stay away from him. "You can't be here…you have to go NOW!"
Striding towards him, sudden anger fuelled her movements when the hurt she was feeling collided with anger. "Or WHAT, Michael?"
"Look, I told Sam to stay away— You have to—" Why hadn't they listened to him? Didn't they understand what was at stake here? He had warned Sam, she couldn't be here. "You all have to stay away. I'm trying to protect you."
"And what about you?" Fiona asked desperately. "Who's going to protect you from making the worst decision of your life?"
"You don't—" He couldn't look at her. He had to stay focused. Michael closed his eyes and dropped his head, gesturing with his left hand, but not meeting her gaze. She distracted him, she always had. "You don't understand. I've made my choice. It's too late."
There, he'd said it. Now she would understand. He finally returned her stare, those blue green eyes trying to burn their way through his resolve. It was over between them, she'd told him so herself and now that part of his life was over for him,too.
Fiona kept his eyes locked with hers, forcing him to see just how much he had always meant to her. "Is it too late for the Michael Westen I fell in love with?" she asked, words spilling from her almost despairingly. "The man who knows what he's doing is wrong?"
He couldn't do this, not now, maybe not ever. Michael looked away again,over his right shoulder, hearing and seeing the helicopter that was approaching and then turned back to her. "James is coming. You have to go!"
She couldn't be here. He had worked so damned hard to try to keep her safe, keep her free and out of prison and now her damned Irish pigheadedness was going to get her killed! He grabbed her arm and started to pulling her towards the door.
Fury dispersed the worry that was coursing through her when she lashed out at him, pushing against his chest when he tried to move her away. "NO!"
"Fi, you gotta go!" he shouted, hitting the air with his hand again, venting his frustration. "Get out of here NOW!"
He was yelling at her with his mouth, but pleading with her with his eyes.
James would give himself up, Strong and CIA would get what they wanted and he would control the organization. The CIA would no longer be a threat to any of them. Nothing could ever threaten any of them again once he was in charge. But he wasn't going to be able to keep her safe if she stayed.
If something else happened to her because of him...
Fiona narrowed her eyes and glared at the man before her, hoping that the glimmer she had seen in his eyes meant that it wasn't too late. "Sam told you that someday someone would threaten this organization and you would have to make a choice. Well, that day has come and that someone…is…me."
Why? Why was she doing this? Mike frowned and cocked to the side, looking at her like he had when she'd turned herself in to the FBI. He hadn't understood that then and he didn't understand this now. She had refused to listen to him then and was almost killed in prison. Her refusal to listen to him now was going to get her killed...
If she was still on the roof when Sonya returned, when James landed, when the CIA surrounded them, when the fire fight started to make it look real...
As if his thoughts had summoned her, Michael looked up to see Sonya coming through the same door Fiona had earlier. The redhead followed his stare and then turned towards the younger woman as well.
When Sonya had reached the ground and found no sign of Cooper, the man who should have been on guard, her first thoughts had been for James. If the man guarding the entrance to the helipad was gone, it had to mean the CIA had infiltrated the base. She couldn't risk the comms. If they had Cooper's radio, their attackers would know they had been discovered.
Rushing back up the stairs, she had come out onto the roof top with her mind already busy running strategies. Maybe if they acted quickly enough there would still be time for her and Michael to make the plan work.
But instead of finding Michael preparing to "take James into custody," he stood there talking to Fiona Glenanne...?
"Michael, what the hell is she doing here?" She couldn't believe that he was just standing there. How could he do this? "I thought you said that she wouldn't be a problem."
Fiona glared at Sonya, hatred scorching every single word. "Well, he was wrong!"
How dare that woman interfere! Sonya fixed her gaze onto the darker haired, older woman. "I will give you one chance to leave…" She used her index finger to emphasise her point, jabbing in the direction of Michael's ex-girlfriend. "One Chance!"
Her furious brown eyes narrowed as Fiona looked away to stare at Michael and she felt a wave of fury wash over her. This woman, this civilian was going to ruin everything! "Turn and walk out that door NOW!" She reached behind her back and gripped her pistol.
Michael saw Sonya preparing to go for her weapon, but the significance of it seemed not to register. This couldn't be happening. He had done everything in his power to... He just needed a little more time to make this right, straighten it out...
Fiona turned her attention from Michael back to Sonya, knowing that if she had any chance to reel him back in, it was now. Lifting her eyes to the man she loved, she kept her gaze focused on him as she spoke. "You know, I think I prefer the view from up here."
Sonya was glaring daggers at her. If looks could have killed, the Irishwoman would have been well and truly dead. The arrogance of the woman! Did Fiona Glenanne really think she could interfere at such a vital time in their operation and not face any consequences? "She needs to be dealt with NOW!"
"Dealt with?" Fiona couldn't believe what she was hearing as she turned her attention back towards the woman who had effectively driven a wedge between them. While keeping her eyes focused on Sonya, she could also see Michael's turmoil out of corner of her eye.
"Yes, dealt with!" the Russian spat. Why were they even having this conversation? The helicopter was only minutes away, the mission, their future, the sacrifice her beloved James was making for them all... It all depended on perfect timing and this selfish old cyka was NOT going to ruin it.
Fiona glared back the younger woman before turning her attention back to Michael, who seemed to be fighting his own inner demons. She realized that this whole time he hadn't been looking of either of them.
The dark haired man had closed his eyes again, dropping his head down and vainly trying to shut out the voices competing for attention between his ears...
"No, you don't need me..." the dream Fiona had told him and left him there alone.
James needed him. James had come back for him. James had offered him a future...
"Michael, it's already over..." the real Fiona had told him and walked away from him.
But Sonya had been there in the loft when he'd come in out of the rain that night.
"Do you have any idea how much this little operation of yours has cost me?"
James had forgiven him...Sonya had forgiven him... but Fiona couldn't forgive him.
"Do you even care?"
"I'll show you what I mean!" In one swift move, Sonya drew her weapon and pointed straight at the obstacle to them completing their task.
The sound of her cocking her pistol finally pulled Michael from the trance he had seemingly fallen into as his eyes snap open and his hand reached out towards her.
"Wait, wait… WAIT!" He was blinking rapidly and trying to shake off the conflict in his mind. It had all been so clear to him, the path that he was on, what he'd finally be able to do with his life, how he could do good without interference...and now...
"I told you she was going to destroy everything! We can't let that happen." James had put his trust in them and because of HER, they were going to fail him.
"I'll talk to her…" He just had to explain it to her, make her understand. What he'd been fighting for his whole life, to do good, to be part of something he believed, to make sure that they were safe, that no one could hurt them or use them against him ever again, it was right in front of him...he just..."I just need to figure this out."
Every spy lives in fear of losing himself. When you work under cover so long, the lines between loyalty and betrayal can become so blurred, so gray, that after a while, you don't know what you're fighting for any more.
"There's nothing to figure out, Michael. James is coming!" The time for talking had past, hadn't they done enough for Michael's old friends? Why couldn't they let him go? When James was offering him so much, why couldn't he see these people were just assets?
Michael kept holding his left hand out towards Sonya, telling her to standby while he worked out how the resolve this conflict.
On the left was the path he was on... the resources, the ability to act, to right the wrongs of this world, people who would be as dedicated to him he had been to the job, someone who understood that the mission came first, the freedom to do what needed to done...the power that James, who believed in him, would give him...
"I'll figure this out."
"The CIA is closing in! We have to finish this now!" Sonya demanded. There is no more time, she will not let everything fall apart. Not now, when they had come so far. She will not lose that life that is so close to being within her grasp.
Michael looked at the helicopter, at his future coming towards him.
On the right was his past...his friends, his family, Fiona... He couldn't hurt them any more. They couldn't be used to hurt him any more. They were part of his past...
He glanced at the only woman he had ever loved... He didn't love Sonya... a part of him he cared for her...but he would never love again. He couldn't...
"You do what you think is right," Fiona told him as she glanced at Sonya for a second before she looked back at Michael once more, this time not really sure whether she had gotten through to him. "If this is what you want, then the man I love is gone."
No, that was in the past... She didn't love him now. How could she love him after what he'd done? How could anyone love him? James and Sonya, they didn't love him.. they believed him... in his abilities...in their vision...in what they would do...
"Michael, think of all the good things we could do. Don't let her hold you back, you have to let go!" Sonya pleaded. What was so hard? They had a future together, they were going to rid the world of despots. They were going to bring James' vision of world order to life. "You have to let her go!" Why was it so difficult for him?
He was staring at the ground again, but Fiona had to try, hoping that her words would somehow get through to him.
"Michael…look at me..." But as he continued to shake his head and blink, seeing nothing, she knew she had to try again, raising her voice forcefully. "LOOK….AT….ME…"
The younger woman couldn't listen to this any more. It is a waste of time. If Michael can't or won't do the right thing here, she would do it for him.
"Alright, if you won't do it, I WILL!" Sonya declared.
You end up caught in the middle, as your friends become your enemies and your enemies become your friends.
Fiona lifted her chin, refusing to defend herself. Instead she watched Michael, who was staring straight ahead. If he really wanted to move on and forget everything they had done together, then she didn't know if she really wanted to stay around in this world and see his ultimate betrayal.
You don't get to have the girl and the job. She doesn't fit into your future, our future. So why don't you do yourself a favor and forget the past.
Preparing herself for the worst, Fiona held her head up high, forcing her chin outwards as she waited for... something...anything to end this.
But then there comes the time when you're forced to make a choice.
The loud crack of gunfire echoes momentarily in the morning air, overpowering the sound of the helicopter, the stunned intake of breath, the quiet sigh...
Fiona is not my past...
His heart had screamed at his brain and he had finally heard it.
The jolt hit her hard in the back and then an indescribable pain ripped through her chest. Staggering, her gun slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground. Unable to speak, she turned slowly on unsteady legs which buckled beneath her and, as she sank to the ground seeing no emotion the blue eyes of her betrayer, all she can think about is that she has let down the one man who means the world to her.
Michael stood there with his arm fully extended, still holding the gun trained on the woman who had crumbled into a heap before him, still watching the single gunshot wound slowly ooze blood onto her grey T-shirt. There had been two holes before...
Fiona's eyes flew from Sonya, who suddenly collapsed and had now closed her eyes, to Michael, who was staring at the woman with a blank expression. His eyes had glazed over and his face was empty, he was still somewhere else. But she knew that they didn't have much time before all hell broke loose.
Michael slowly lowered his arm, still gazing at the gun. He had shot her with his left hand... he was right handed... how... why... had he shot her with his left hand? Now he was eyeing the redhead before him with that same vacuous look.
A guard appeared on the roof and Fiona raised her gun with lightning speed, shooting the man before he can even return fire.
Fiona Glenanne had saved his life... again... She had come for him... again...
Looking at the guard she had shot, Fiona glanced across at Sonya's body before she caught Michael's eyes, relieved to see the man she had fallen in love with once more.
Suddenly, he meets her scrutiny with awareness, giving her a half smile and cupping her cheek.
She had saved him when he didn't deserve to be saved. But that didn't stop him from being grateful for it.
He grabbed Fiona's hand and they ran off the roof, away from Sonya's body, away from James' helicopter, away from the biggest mistake of his life that he had almost made. He had to get her to safety.
And nothing was more important than that.
