His fist fell heavily on the door. Michael was hoping to catch his brother at home, but he wouldn't be surprised if Linc had already left for the day. Lincoln was spending most of his weekends with his girlfriend Sammie these days, their relationship having grown more serious over the last few weeks.

Figuring he would try back later, Michael reached and grabbed the large duffle bag at his feet. The sound of the door swinging open behind him stopped him in his tracks and he swung back to the now open doorway, a half smile hitting his lips at the sight of his older brother. "Linc, you're home. I was about to give up."

The look on his brother's face was a curious one, making Michael suspicious that he was possibly interrupting something. "Is it a bad time to be stopping by?"

"Yeah, you could say its bad timing." His eyes moved to the room behind him and then to the bag in Michael's hand, assessing the situation.

Lincoln, never one to turn his brother away no matter the inconvenience, "But if it's important…" He eased open the door and stepped into the room to allow Michael to enter.

Michael thought about it for a beat, his eyes roving over his brother's pajama bottoms, his bare chest and feet. Decision made, but still feeling like a bit of an intruder he stepped inside the apartment and closed the door.

He really didn't want to mess up some romantic interlude or something, put a damper on his big brother's plans. Eying his surroundings, Michael took in the room around him. Everything in the apartment looked the same, the usual mess present, making him wonder if he was maybe mistaken and Linc really did have the apartment to himself.

Michael set down his bag, drawing Lincoln's eyes to it again. "What's with the bag, you planning on movin' in or somethin'?" His tone was joking but the serious look Michael gave him dropped the smile from his lips. "What's up Mike, you in some kind of trouble?"

Michael's jaw clenched a little. "I guess you could say that." This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to come to his brother with any of this. And if he had any other place to stay he wouldn't be there right now, but this was it, he certainly couldn't assume that Sara would let him crash at her place, not after what happened that morning.

"Fox River trouble or slap on the hand kinda trouble, Mike?" Linc's tone held a dangerous edge.

Cool blue now on the defensive, Michael locked eyes with his brother. He knew what Lincoln was going to say to all of this, and his "I told you so" was the last thing Michael wanted or needed to hear right now.

"Kelvin got busted for illegal gambling and pimping out some strippers." Michael was careful to explain. He wanted to make it clear that the escort service his brother looked down on wasn't the reason behind the arrest.

"So how does this touch you, Mike? Why are you out on the street? No money to pay the rent, I'm guessing…Where does that leave Angela?"

There was a moment of silence that seemed to last too long, the room suddenly growing deadly still with tension.

His anger building, Michael was opening his mouth to answer, to tell his brother he would take care of Angela, not to worry for a second about that; to tell him to forget he'd even come there, when the door shot open and Sammie sprinted out wearing Linc's missing Pajama shirt.

Michael's eyes fell on the canister of Redi-whip she clutched in her right hand and then she was shoving it behind her back, her toes curling into the wood of the floor as if she wished to disappear. "Oh, ah, hi Michael, I didn't know we had company. I was just about to…To make breakfast…Pancakes…Anyone want whipped cream?" Sammie brought the can around and moved it back and forth in front of the brother's matching stony eyes.

"They're blueberry?" Her smile took the edge off his anger and Michael turned to his brother.

"Say yes, Michael, you know you wanna. You never could turn down blueberry pancakes and Sam's are the best."

Seeing this for what it was, if not a truce then a momentary reprieve, Michael nodded. "Yeah, okay. I guess I could eat." Truthfully the last thing that had passed through his lips was a stale muffin he had found at Sara's. He was starving.

"I'll just go wash up." He moved passed Sammie and she gave him a small smile. Michael was suddenly having a tough time believing Sammie had interrupted them by mistake. If he had to bet he would say she'd heard the whole argument and made her entrance in an effort to
keep things from escalating, to save them from exchanging words they would both later regret.

She was a crafty one, that Sammie. Michael felt a smile touch his lips. His brother had certainly met his match. With this sudden realization Michael liked her even more.

(Later)

"You can crash here for as long as you like, Michael…But."

But, there was always a 'but' where his brother was concerned, always had been as far back as Michael could remember. "You can have this toy, but…You can borrow my car, but…" Wiping the syrup from the side of his mouth, Michael's eyes found his older brother's. "But..?"

Linc studied him for a beat before answering, "But the sofa is brown corduroy hell and it sleeps the same way. It's got a few broken boards. You'll likely wake up bent in half."

Hiding his relief, Michael glanced over his shoulder at the sofa in question. "I've slept on worse." He thought of Sara's much smaller sofa, his neck aching with the memory. "It'll be fine. I'll only be here a little over a week."

Mopping up the syrup with the last bite of pancake, he popped it in his mouth. He was amazed that breakfast had gone over without the major blow up he had been expecting. Of course this was the first mention of his request to stay there, the better part of the meal having been spent with Sammie telling them about her British Nan's pancake recipe to fill the silence.

"These were great Sammie, thanks."

"Anytime Michael," Sammie smiled and hopped up from her spot at the table. "I'll just clear these dishes really quick."

"Need some help, Babe?"

Sammie leaned and planted a kiss on Linc's lips, her mouth lingering for a beat. "Nope," Her voice fell to a whisper as she leaned even closer, "Play nice." She grabbed the stack of dishes and headed for the kitchen.

They sat in silence then, two brother's who were much the same, but still very different.

As the seconds ticked away the silence began to play on Michael's nerves. He was waiting for the proverbial axe to fall, for his brother to say what was on his mind, what had been on his mind since Michael walked through the door.

"You know I can get you in at the construction company. Derek's always looking for good men, just say the word, Mike."

So this was it, another offer to help him find 'real' work.

"I don't need another job Linc, I just need a place to stay for a few days until things cool off. As soon as they do, I'll look for another escort service."

"You mean you'll look for another pimp."

Hating his brother's self righteous tone, "Yeah, I'll look for another pimp, okay?" Jaw tight, Michael pushed back from the table and stood.

Starting to turn away, he thought better of it and turned back to face his brother. "I do what I have to do, Linc. And I know you don't approve of it, you never have. But you don't have to. I don't need your approval."

"Mike, you're gonna get busted, man, you're gonna wind up in jail, don't you get that?" Linc stood quickly his emotions moving through his limbs almost toppling the chair. "This shit with Kelvin oughta tell you something…" Changing his tack, his voice softened, "How are you gonna help Angela if you're behind bars, Mike? Have you thought of that?"

"Yeah, well I can't exactly help Angela on a construction worker's wage, now can I?" Michael's cool blue eyes met his brother's.

"Then maybe you shouldn't help her, Mike. Maybe you should just let her go…"

Dead silence filled the room, their eyes locked in a fit of dueling blue.

"Don't ask me to do that, Linc. I can't do that and you know it!"

"Can't Michael, or won't?" After a beat, "This isn't for Angela, Michael. She wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. She loved you too, Man. You're just punishing yourself for what happened. You blame yourself for the accident…It wasn't your fault Michael."

"You think you know everything, right?" This came out cold, arctic eyes blazing. "Or maybe you've just never loved someone like I love Angela." His knuckles grew white, his grip tightening on the chair back.

His brother bringing up the accident was a mistake and he could see that Lincoln regretted it immediately. This knowledge didn't stop Michael's next words from falling from tightened lips. He was too angry. "Don't ever assume you know how I feel about Angela, 'cause you have no clue. Not until you hold the woman you love as she lies bleeding and broken. Only then can you imagine how I feel, or what motivates me!"

Something drew Michael's eyes, halting his next words before they could leave his lips. Sammie was standing in the Kitchen doorway watching in silence, no whipped cream at the ready to diffuse the bomb that had exploded in the short time she was in the kitchen. His eyes met hers across the room. "I'm sorry for this. I shouldn't have come here."

"Michael," Linc's voice was gruff. "I'm just worried about you, Bro…Can't you see that?"

Ignoring his brother's pleas, Michael grabbed his bag and headed for the door. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but he knew he couldn't stay there, he couldn't deal with nine days of this shit.

"Mike, where are you goin', man?"

Stopping when he hit the door, "To find someplace else to stay," Michael was through the door on the tail of his response, leaving Lincoln staring at the closed door, regret reflected in his eyes.

XXXXX

Having no where else to go, Michael had spent the better part of the day in the park. From his spot under a large oak tree he had a clear view of Sara's bookstore, Constant Reader. To his relief after what seemed like, and probably was hours later, she finally emerged.

Figuring she would head straight home, he had quickly walked the short distance to his car and driven to her place. That was almost an hour ago, an hour spent parked outside Sara's apartment complex waiting for her.

Taking a sip of his coffee, if you could call the lukewarm sludge in his cup, coffee, Michael reminded himself once again why he was technically not a stalker. Stalkers wanted to be engaged in this sort of activity. He had no choice.

Plus he hadn't spent the entire time at the park staking out Sara's store. Michael's afternoon alone had given him plenty of time to cool off. To think about his confrontation with his brother Lincoln.

The conversation played through his head again despite his resolve to stop thinking about it. In hindsight it had been foolish to even go to Linc's in the first place. Foolish to think he could get along with his brother for nine days.

Hell, they hadn't gone five minutes before Michael was forced to put up his defenses. And then when things calmed down Michael had thought maybe it would work...Just maybe.

But then Sammie left the room and everything changed. Michael realized now, that it was her presence that had kept the peace.

When Lincoln brought up Angela and the accident it was all Michael could do to hold back. He had been this close to asking Lincoln if he would just turn his back on the woman he loved. But then he saw Sammie standing in the doorway. She didn't deserve to be dragged into this. Michael really liked Sammie and he was sorry she had to hear any of it.

His cell phone vibrated again and he glanced at it, 'Lincoln'.

Michael's eyes moved back to the building. This was only one of many phone calls he had ignored from his brother that day.

His cell phone had gone off so many times at the park he'd finally given up and just turned it off. It had only been on for the last twenty-five minutes. Michael had made a quick call to check in on Angela and he must have forgotten to turn it back off.

He had plans to visit Angela the following day when he went in to pay her bills for the coming month, but she was on his mind so he had given in and made the call. He knew he wouldn't rest unless he did.

The phone fell silent and his eyes drifted back to stare at the now blank face of the cell, his brother's name having vanished.

Why did his relationship with his brother have to be so explosive? They had always been a little like two bulls butting heads but it wasn't until Michael took the job at the escort service…When he made the mistake of telling Lincoln what he really did for a living…That was when the rift between them started to grow.

Michael knew his brother loved him, that he would try to help him in any way he could, and that's what Lincoln thought he was doing with all of his advice, Michael was sure of it. It was so like his brother to think his advice was warranted, needed even. But Michael didn't want Linc's advice, he hadn't asked for it. And he certainly didn't need any advice where Angela was concerned.

A car passed drawing his attention, but it wasn't Sara.

Leaning back against the head rest Michael brought a hand up to massage the bridge of his nose. He was so tired, and his head was starting to throb. His night on Sara's sofa had been spent tossing and turning until he awoke in the morning twisted in the blankets, pillows on the floor; his head at an odd angle.

He moved his hand to massage the crick in his neck. If Sara would have him, he knew he would be spending another uncomfortable night on her sofa.

Sighing aloud his head came up. Her car shot into view at that moment and he ducked down causing his neck to scream out in protest.

A few minutes later he was easing back up to watch her approach her door. She had her hands full and he held his breath expecting her to drop at least one of the many bags, or even worse, what looked like a huge casserole dish to the ground. He winced when one of the bags started to slip, but she surprised him, her slim hand shooting out to snag it in mid air. Not a single item was lost to the ground.

Once Sara was inside Michael looked at his watch. He would wait ten minutes and then knock on her door.