Title: Fence Talks
Pairing: Michael/Sara
Characters: Michael Scofield, Sara Tancredi, Lincoln Burrows
Rating: R
Summary: Spoilers for S2, minor for S3. Set right after my story 'Again and Again and Again'. Michael is in Sona, but there is no Company after him. They are just three desperate people who try to do anything to get a normal life together. And they do some so much needed talking along the way. Pure MiSa, romance, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort and much more.
Disclaimer: English is NOT my first language, so sorry for Any bad spelling, grammatical jigsaws and else.:) Read and Enjoy.
Warning - Before reading this story, to understand some hints, you may want to read my one-shot called 'Again and Again and Again'.
Chapter 2 - Brother's Keeper
"What? How?" Asked Michael incredulous, the wheels in his head already starting to process the information.
"Sara." Lincoln answered simply and Michael's features softened.
"She was amazing Mike, she's been doing calls, camping at the embassy, calling and mailing like everybody she ever even scarcely knew demanding her attention and finally, yesterday, it worked. Together with Jane and her contacts, they managed to finally convince the Panamian government of who you where as well as who Bill Kim was. There is now only the paperwork to get over with, but it's a sure thing. Just one more week bro and you are out." Lincoln literally beamed and infected Michael with his good mood.
"That's really amazing Linc...Wow! I honestly don't know what to say..."
"Yeah, great, huh? Oh no..." Lincoln frowned and Michael looked at him in puzzlement. "Now I am going to die because I promised Sara I would let HER tell you!" He said with a start like he only just now remembered and his face fell, which caused Michael to chuckle.
"I am sure she knew you wouldn't keep you promise." Michael said and smiled anew at the hurt expression his brother gave him. Then Michael's face grew solemn again.
"I am sorry you can't be with LJ celebrating your freedom right now." He told his brother.
"Don't be silly Mike, you are the reason I am free in the first place, not to mention that thanks to you, LJ HAS a dad to celebrate with. I few more days won't kill me."
"Still…" Michael begun but Lincoln brushed him off.
"Still 'nothing'. But what I am more interested in is how YOU are doing." Said Lincoln giving his brother an inquiring look.
"I won't deny I've been better." Said Michael with a tired smile. "It's a hellhole in here. There are times I miss the SHU." Michael sighed, knowing he could be this honest only with his brother. Lincoln merely nodded.
"But the most depressing thing is there is nothing to do around here, the whole day. Just watch you back. Or sunbath." He finished bitterly.
"I am sure Sara will appreciate that." Said Lincoln and caused the corners of Michael's mouth twitch upwards.
"Ya think?"
"Yeeeeah. Trust me, I know women. They like dark guys."
"Is that so?" Asked Michael amused at Lincoln's rather obvious hint at himself and Lincoln merely nodded. The two brothers were now grinning at each other.
"Listen, about Sara…" Begun Michael, but then dropped in the middle of the sentence, not knowing how to proceed, how to ask his brother such a delicate question and not hurt him in the process.
"What about her?" Asked Lincoln, already knowing he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.
"Don't tell her. I know she is already worried too much." Said Michael, his eyes averted to the dirty floor. However, this was not what he intended to ask.
"Sure." Lincoln answered knowing there was more to the subject than that.
"I…I only wanted to know, if…if…" Michael sighed heavily playing with his hands nervously, not knowing how to proceed.
"Just spit it out. I swear I won't slap you." Lincoln said and Michael gave a small smile.
"I hope you didn't…blame her…you know, for the way things turned out. For me being here and everything." Michael said uneasily, knowing the question was very daring but at the same time, he just needed to know. He raised his vision to look his brother in the eyes, searching for the truth.
Lincoln had indeed felt the urge to slap and tell his brother off for his little faith in him, but then decided otherwise. Michael, no matter how much of a genius, could be very a very shy and unsocial person and had very often been really bad with judging people and the reasons of their actions. Not 'playing' them, he was a real mastermind at that, but he had somehow problems when he truly wanted to get to know and understand.
"No Mike. I never did and I never would. She saved my life. Twice. If she hadn't shot Kim, I would be dead right now. Hell, if I had the choice, I would take the blame myself. She really doesn't deserve any of this." Lincoln said seriously, his gaze darting into the pools of blue.
"She is a great girl Michael." Finished Lincoln honestly, his eyes never leaving Michael's. However, he had no idea how much his words meant to Michael, who never really heard his brother's so much desired opinion on Sara, there simply never had been time.
"She is." Michael whispered in a choked voice. "How is she holding up?"
"You want the ruthless truth or a merciful lie?" Lincoln said honestly and it made Michael's insides twitch, wishing for a split second he could afford to choose the latter.
"The truth." He said firmly at last.
"She is bad Michael. She insists she is fine, but man, you would have to be blind not to notice she is barely keeping it together."
Of course Michael knew. He would indeed have to be blind not to notice her slender figure, shrinking a bit every time he saw her, nor could he have overlooked the dark shadows under her eyes and her somewhat shaggy and tired appearance. Still, hearing it from his brother aloud, it had to be serious, had to be massive. Before he could give it any more thought though, Lincoln continued.
"She is barely eating or resting, always only working, either writing emails or making calls back to the states dealing with her father's old friends and co-workers…" Michael felt his heart squeeze in heartache "…or practically camping at the embassy and when she finally comes home she tells me she's already eaten and goes straight to bed without a word. But she is not eating nor getting any damn sleep. She tries to cover it, but every time I get up at night, sometimes more than once, she is always sitting at the kitchen counter staring absentmindedly into a glass of water. She always tells me she was only thirsty and went to take a glass of water, but I always find her like that, at any time, every night. And before the sun raises and I am up, she is already, or better said 'still' sitting there, telling me she simply got up early." Lincoln sighed heavily, looking anywhere but at Michael. "She is practically destroying herself." He finished quietly and Michael felt his insides twitch and squeeze in agony. Something was all of a sudden ripping at heart out, one vein after another.
"Did you try to…" He choked and stumbled over his words, his glassy eyes burning a hole into the dirty ground.
"Talk to her? Sure as hell I tried. But you know her. She reminds me of you a lot. She insists she is ok although we both know she is not. And then, you know, I am not a talkative person, nor is she. Not to mention there is just the two of us and we barely know each other. I know, you might argue that after everything we've been through, there was nothing we couldn't talk about, but it's not as simple as that, you know. YOU are the linking part in our relationship and currently, the linking part is missing."
"You know…" Lincoln continued uncomfortably, not sure if he should share the last piece of information with his already distraught brother, then decided Michael had the right to know.
"I sometimes think she takes it as a kind of punishment she induces over herself. For her being 'the culprit' and being out while you 'the innocent 'being in here. Simple as that, black and white. And that by some wicked karma or whatever bullshit, the worse she is out there the better you may be in here…Hell, I dunno Mike." Lincoln finished and shifted uncomfortably in his place. Michael was shocked just at the simple fact that Lincoln could notice and actually grasp something like that into words, it meant something was clearly terribly off. More off than he dared to imagine.
A moment passed when neither of the brothers spoke and Lincoln could see how all this information shook Michael deeply, but he also knew his brother wouldn't discuss this matter with him any further. He only hoped he would discuss this with the person concerned, with Sara.
"Thank you." Michael said at last in a thick voice. "Can you do something for me Linc?" He continued, finally raising his eyes to meet Lincoln's.
"Anything, bro."
"Can you take care of her? I know it's not an easy task and that's why I am asking YOU. You are the only person I trust with this. And I don't even know what exactly I am asking for, how you should behave towards her, or what to do at all…but maybe try to…I don't know… tell her some silly stupid stuff from our childhood…make her smile…and eat something in that process…sit with her during the night for a couple of minutes…just don't leave her alone …" He was rambling now, his thoughts scattered all around the corners of his mind, concentrating desperately to make some sense out of them.
"…I know it's so much to ask it's just, she means so much to me and in just a week I will take care of all of this myself, it's just I am here now and I can't look after her and just the mere though of what you just told me repeating itself in the next few days drives me crazy!" He finished in a distraught shout, his eyes blunt and unfocused, Michael clearly disappearing into his own dangerous dark internal world.
Lincoln felt a sudden rush of concern and worry for his brother. No matter how anxious for the well being of the people he loved Michael might be, this was a bit too extreme behavior even for him, Michael Scofield, the genius who no matter what always kept a calm composure. Sona was clearly starting to get to him too. Lincoln once again cursed this goddamn place. He looked at his brother who all of a sudden looked so lost and vulnerable and so far away with his thoughts and Lincoln thought darkly how much Michael deserved to be happy, carefree and selfish for once.
"I swear I will do my best, ok? And I promise I will try to talk some sense into her, crack some stupid jokes of mine, you know I am good at that, and I will also somehow make her eat and will play cards with her from now and then, ok? There is not much work to do from now on anyway, so she won't have much opportunity to hide from me. It's only a week Mike, a week! Just try to hold on, ok?" He said gently and it was so unfamiliar of the grown Lincoln to talk in a tone like this, and so much like the Lincoln who used to be an older protective teenage brother, a brother who comforted Michael after he woke from a nightmare just a short time after their mother died.
"Thank you." Michael was barely able to mutter, finally feeling a slight sense of relief wash over him, light creeping in through the cracks in the dark once again.
"Sure thing Mike." Lincoln said and gave his watch a glance. "I better be returning to the car and sending her in, she must be already anxious to see you." And vice versa, Lincoln thought with concern. Michael merely nodded while taking some deep breaths, slowly gaining his old calm composure back. Lincoln was about to turn and walk away when Michael's voice stopped him once more.
"I…um…I know it's not a very manly thing to say but I'll say it anyway. I love you Linc." He gave his brother a sincere sheepish look. Lincoln merely grinned and shrugged.
"Well, I can't blame you Mike, I know I am rather a looker." He said with a wink and Michael groaned and rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"And I love you too Mike." Lincoln said but before Michael could say anything else, he was already making his way towards to car again to get the person for who's presence Michael has been waiting eagerly whole day long.
TBC
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