Sam opened the door to the loft slowly before exhaling and stepping in.
"Fi?"
"Yeah Sam." She whispered into the low lit room.
"Maddy sent me over to check on you." He confessed, settling in the chair closest to the bed. "She'd have come herself but we brought Jesse home this morning and she didn't want to leave him."
"How are they?" He watched her small body turn under the sheets before her eyes met his.
"Worried about you."
"I'm alright." She smiled at him.
"I think they'd like you come back to the house.." Sam knew it wasn't worth asking. She wasn't going to budge.
"I need to be here right now." She told him with uncharacteristic calmness before nodding.
"Fi. He'll be back."
Ever since Jesse had found out that Michael had been taken from the good guys Fiona's fearful worry had been replaced with a more resolute feeling of dreaded abandonment.
"Sam.."
"Jesse told you himself he'd have to be debriefed. It takes time. They're not going to let him take a break to call home." Sam crept over and sat on the edge of the bed, she stared at the ceiling.
"I need to be here right now." She said again. "Next week.." He watched her swallow before nodding. "By Wednesday I'll be back to my old self I promise. If he's not back by Friday we'll go looking for a job okay?"
Sam's hand reached out and encircled her thin ankle before nodding.
"Deal." He smiled. "But could you at least start answering your phone?" He gave her a pained look and her face softened before his became more formal. "Madelyn worries."
"Madelyn." She repeated, her eyes squinting as her cheeks lifted just an inch.
"Yes." He pulled his hand back before standing and marching to the door. "Cause.. you know.. I know you can take care of yourself."
"Maybe on Monday?" She decided, looking at the spot where her phone lay. He rolled his eyes at her. She'd been sick of starring at it wating for him to call. So she'd turned it off. If he wanted or needed to find her, he'd have to go bigger. "Alright I'm heading back then."
"Sam?" Her voice so soft he almost missed it.
"Fi?" He didn't turn around, just kept his hand on the door knob.
"Thank you." She looked at the ceiling.
"Take care of yourself." He reminded her sharply. "Cause Mike'll have my ass if you don't."
…...
He woke up with a start, still a bit more disoriented than he'd like to be.
"I was wondering if I was going to have to find a prince to kiss you or something. Dwarfs were showing up at the door to build a glass case." Came a voice from the other side of the room.
"Dan?" He muttered rubbing his eyes firmly.
"I just had to come see for myself if it were really true. The warrrior returns."
"When exactly did you become such a big fan of fairy tails?" The room came into focus and Michael laid eyes on his old handler for the first time in four years.
"It's a pretty happy ending don't you think?" Dan smiled, slowly shaking his head. "I just still can't believe it. Welcome back man."
Michael stood up slowly, stretching his back and wincing as he arched his still sore shoulder blade.
"How long..?" He asked, as he shook hands with his old boss.
"You've been with us ten days."
"Ten-." His eyes widened. "I have to make a-."
"Slow down." Dan grinned. "I called the family. Talked to your mom and Jesse Porter. Your lovely mother got her stitches out yesterday, small scar hidden by a lovely new hair do. Jesse's leg required two small sergical procedures. He's resting comfortably in your old bedroom. Told them you were fine and you'd be in touch soon. I tried to call Fiona but she apparently isn't taking phone calls."
"Ahh.." Michael winced. "I really should probably-." He looked at the phone on the desk with a little more longing then was probably appropriate for a covert operative.
"Michael, they've had you for four years now. Let me have you for a few more minutes. You and I will go over some things, get you reconnected and then you can head back to Miami and let your girlfriend kick your ass in person okay?"
Michael licked his lips before pulling his eyes away from the phone and nodding at Dan.
"I have to say Michael. I was always rooting for the two of you."
"Dan you told me to stay as far away from her as I could physically get." Michael laughed.
"Yeah.. that's what I had to say. What I wanted to say was-. Well.. you probably don't want to hear what I wanted to say." His old handler leered and Michael thought about how lewd his comments could be.
"Probably not."
"So anyway," Dan tapped his hand on the desk and held up the thumb drive. "Lets talk shall we?"
…...
During his four years in exile, Michael Westen could not have imagined upon his open armed reunion the only thing he would want to do was get out of there.
Dan's voice was drilling into his head, he couldn't think about anything else but Fiona's tiny body hurtling through the boarded up window.
"I've already started looking into Stekker-Eps If there is anything we can do for him and his family posthumously."
I'm tired of you making all the decisions in this relationship!
Michael smiled.
"This stuff about Archer is amazing." Dan hissed.
I was always so much better with explosives than you.
She was.
"I think we'll let Vaugh share a secret prison cell with Simon. Sound like hell to you?"
This is me choosing you. This is what that looks like.
His eyes fell on the phone again.
"Or we could ship him off to Alcatraz, I hear they have a lot of room right now."
Your girlfriend is crazy about you, man. Take good care of her.
His girlfriend.
"Or he could just stay at your place." Dan set the file down on the table between them. "What do you think Michael?"
"Huh?" He blinked back to the man in front of him. Oops. Dan's eyes rolled back.
"Get out of my office." He snorted, picking up the phone and dialing one number. "Get Mr. Westen back to Miami as quickly as possible please."
"Dan.." Mike's voice sounded more than a little concerned.
"I'll call you in a few days. Go see your family." He stuck the file back in his desk and locked it. "You've gone soft."
"I havn't gone-."
"It's okay. We'll toughen you back up." Dan waved his arms in Michael's defense.
"I have not gone soft!"
"Get a really hard core assignment and drop you off with your charm and a Swiss army knife. They old Michael will be back in no time."
"I'm not soft!"
"Go see your mommy." He grinned. "And kiss your girlfriend for me." Dan puckered his lips and Michael smirked. "Next time your body's in this office, I expect it to bring your brain."
"I can still kick your ass old man."
"Probably, but just in case? Maybe your girl can give you some pointers." He snorted walking around the desk and opening his door. "I'll have someone drive you to Andrews."
…...
