The first night was the hardest for Michael. Lincoln had forced him to at lest lay in the bed, pacing the halls was to distracting for him.
Michael groaned as another wave of quilt caused his stomach to cringe. The cramps had been happening since the moment the shock that she was gone had worn off. He had withheld the tears but it seemed his body needed to rebel in any way.
"You're going to make yourself sick." Lincoln's voice said gently from the top bunk.
Michael glared at the rusty springs above him, "We left her," he snarled.
"We had to, man. We didn't have a choice. She did." His brother replied in the same tone.
"We LEFT her!" Michael said louder. "After-everything- we left her."
Lincoln gave a heavy sigh. "There was nothing we could do for her."
"That's what they said about you." Michael threw back. "And yet here you are. A free man."
"Michael-" Lincoln muttered.
"You know what?" Michael asked sarcastically. "Just go to bed. It doesn't matter anyways."
"Don't be like that, Michael. She was good to me too." Lincoln leaned over the side of the railing.
"But not good enough to go back for?" he glared at the other man. "Not good enough to risk it for? Not-"
"Michael-I'm sorry." Lincoln stated sadly, "This should never have happened."
His brother sympathy only seemed to enrage him further. Michael leapt from the bed and pulled on his jacket.
"Where are you going?" Lincoln asked, worry filling his voice.
"Out. Don't wait up. Oh wait-" he turned. "You never do."
Michael didn't wait for a response as he left their room and slammed the door behind him.
He made his way up to the deck-her words repeating over and over.
I'm already onboard- Lie.
Great I'm on my way up. Lie.
Love you. Truth
Michael leaned against a railing, a sob shook his body, and he didn't fight it. He allowed the tears to come. He dropped to the wet floor then circled a hand through the railing.
She lied to him. She wanted to keep him safe. He wanted to believe that…but the idea that maybe; just maybe she thought he wouldn't come for her. That he would have stayed on the boat-choosing paradise without her.
"God-" he moaned, "I would have given everything-" he flinched at his own words.
He would have. For the first time Michael knew he would have risked his freedom, his brother's freedom for her's. He knew he wasn't mad at his brother. He was furious at himself. If he had just kept his goddamn distance none of this would have happened. He would have been able to lift the keys from her the first time without her being any the wiser. She would have gotten a reprimand for being careless, maybe a two-week suspension. Then back to life as normal. Now did she have? 10 plus years in prison.
Michael bit his lip. This was all his fault. Why did he do this to the people he loved? He ruined Lincoln's life by not answering that damn phone call-he ruined Sara's by falling in love with her.
Love you…His heart felt like it clamped in a vice.
Water sprayed his face reminding him that he was in the wrong place. He should be in his cabin, safe where no one could recognize him. But that cabin was unbearable. It had been arranged for three people…yet there had only been two beds. If the last 4 hours of his life had been different he would have enjoyed the problem of sleeping arrangements. Now they dug into his soul as a reminder of something he would never have. Of the women who would always take the fall.
I'm thinking of doing two more parts to this-please let me know if I should. Thanks for reading!
