Disclaimer: Prison Break nor the characters associated with it are mine.
Michael held the door open as LJ and Sara crawled into the third seat of the dark SUV that was much like Jane's. Following them he sat in the second row followed by his brother as Jane got into the front passenger seat. The tall man who had been standing outside the driver's side door got in and started the engine.
Leaving the airfield and moving onto industrial streets, Michael's instincts from having been on the run flared as he noticed that three smaller vehicles had formed a sort of box around theirs, but their driver either did not notice or did not see a problem.
Noticing his furrowed brow Jane called back to him,
"Extra security detail,"
Michael nodded as his brother turned to look out the window and watched as the other vehicles kept a perfect distance from their car and each other.
Arriving at the plush hotel one agent went into the lobby and retrieved room keys returning to the front and handing Michael, Lincoln, and Jane all keys.
"There are three rooms. Follow me," he instructed. The group bowed their heads as they entered the quiet lobby and made their way to the elevator.
Hitting the button marked as "7" the agent closed the doors as a woman in a business suit called across the lobby for the elevator doors to be held. The elevator lurched upwards and softly beeped as he reached its destination.
Checking the card given to him Michael read the elegant numbers on the front of the paper pocket holding the card, 731.
Opening it he held it open for Sara and entered, but not before he heard LJ exclaim from the hall,
"Holy shit Dad! Look at…"
Michael didn't need his nephew to finish the sentence, a quick glance around the room ensured that this was no off the highway motel.
The high ceilings, beautiful art, posh furniture and the giant bed that sat in the middle of the room said it all.
"I guess they are trying to make up for it all early huh?" Sara commented as she too took in the room.
Watching her toss her purse on the table next to the television or movie screen, Michael couldn't tell which, Michael felt his shoulders drop slightly as exhaustion over took him.
Turning back to the door he locked the deadbolt and glanced out the peephole and noticed from his limited vision that the agents that had accompanied them were standing outside.
He turned back to the room just in time to see Sara lift the dressing on her arm and study her stitches.
"Sara, did you take your second dose yet?" he asked concerned. Sara glanced up at him and sighed.
"No… I will," she told him turning her back on him and pretending to busy herself with something in her bag. Michael's brow furrowed as he noticed her almost anti social behavior. Walking towards her he was mere inches away when a knock came from the door. Sara turned and glanced up at him and then at the door, making her way to the door Michael grabbed her hand,
"It's fine Michael. I can handle it," she told him shaking off his hand. Michael almost called her out on her actions before Sara opened the door to reveal LJ.
"Um… can I order room service from in here? Dad went into Jane's room to talk," he held up his hands to form quotations as he said the word 'talk'.
"Sure, come in," Sara opened the door wider and stepped inside allowing the teenager in. Michael sighed and gave his nephew a strained smile as LJ sat down in an arm chair and grabbed the remote for the giant TV.
Two hours later LJ lay curled up on the rooms couch and Sara busied herself with clearing dishes from their table and placing them on the cart they had originally come up on. Glancing down at his nephew's dozing form he was struck with how young LJ still was and the circumstances in which he currently lived. Pushing the cart aside Sara walked over to the couch and brushed some of LJ's hair out of his face. LJ opened his eyes and sat up,
"Come on lets get you back to your room and in bed," she told him. Michael stood and made eye contact with Sara letting her know he would take him. Michael grabbed LJ's shoulder and steered him out of the door and across the hall.
Coming out of Lincoln and LJ's room Michael quickly stepped forward to help steer the cart of dirty dishes emerging from his and Sara's room to the side of the hallway. Sara was struggling to keep the door open and push the cart with her good arm.
"Thanks," she mumbled as she turned around and went back into the room.
"Sara," Michael started.
"Don't Michael," she told him opening her purse and grabbing the orange bottle of pills out of it. Placing the medicine in her mouth she grabbed a glass of water and swallowed the pill.
"What's wrong, talk to me." Michael pleaded.
Sara looked up at him and then down at herself. She felt dirty and grimy.
"It isn't you Michael, it's me," she whispered.
"What? You haven't done a thing Sara," Michael responded.
"I'm such a burden to you and to this whole thing…I," Sara stopped and tried to compose herself, "how did I become a liability you couldn't afford?" she asked.
Michael's heart seemed to break in two,
"You are NOT a liability Sara. If it wasn't for you we would not be here, Lincoln would be dead and I would be sitting in prison for no reason at all!" Michael's voice was deep with emotion.
"Look at me!" Sara cried "Look at this!" she waved towards her arm. "I'm a burden! If I hadn't been at that house taking up space LJ would have gone with you this morning and no one would have been at that house to get hurt!" tears started to fall down her face.
In two quick strides Michael was crushing her to his chest,
"My god Sara," his voice broke and tears filled his eyes, "in no way are you a burden. I love you. I love you so much…I can't imagine doing this without you,"
A sob escaped Sara's lips at his words and she wound her arms around his waist as sobs took over her body. She cried mourning her father, mourning those lost because of the Company's actions, mourned the situation they were in, mourned everything that she had kept built up inside over the past months.
Minutes passed before her sobs became silent tears as she buried her face into Michael's chest, his shirt soaked with her tears.
Carefully Michael picked her up and placed her on the large bed. Pulling back the sheets he gently removed her jacket and placed her on the white bed sheet pulling the covers around her body. Moments later after stripping down to his boxers and an undershirt he crawled in next to her and held her close.
Ten minutes later she turned in his embrace and buried her head in his neck,
"Thank you," she whispered into his neck. Her soft breath on his skin caused him to pull her closer,
"No Sara, thank you. Thank you."
Sara was jolted from sleep at the sound of knocking. Disentangling herself from Michael's arm she looked over at the clock. 6:30
Swinger her legs over the side of the bed she stretched and made her way to the door. Glancing out the small peephole she opened the door slowly,
"Hello?" she question.
"Good morning," a small woman in a black dress greeted, "these were sent to your room, a courtesy of a Mr. Green," the woman handed forward to large bags.
"Uh, thank you," Sara said confused as she took the bags. The woman smiled and turned away.
Quietly shutting the door she turned and headed back into the room. Glancing into the bag she was almost delighted to see that each bag held a change of clothes.
Opening one bag she pulled out a pair of grey dress pants, white blouse, and a small grey jacket. In another she found a similar outfit but in black for Michael.
Walking over to his sleeping form she sat down on the bed next to him and put her hand on his arm,
"Michael?" she called out to him. Stirring Michael opened is eyes,
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"I'm fine, its time to get ready to go, Cooper sent over clothes for us to wear for this morning's meeting," she told him.
Michael nodded and sat up, leaning over he captured her lips with his in a slow sweet kiss,
"I'm sorry about last night," she apologized after they had parted.
"Don't be," he told her once again kissing her.
Sara watched as the group glanced around the large and spacious room intrigued at his ornate painting and expensive furnishings. She and Michael sat together hands clasped under the table as they waited for the President to arrive.
"Why do people think they can always be late…" LJ's voice broke the silence that had filled the room but was stopped immediately when the large oak doors opened and the President stepped in.
Michael and Sara's hands broke a part as they stood to greet the other man. The President went around the table and shook hands,
"This is my son, LJ," Lincoln pushed LJ forward and gently nudged him to accept the other man's hand.
"Nice to meet you LJ," the President's kind face broke into a smile. When he came to face Sara sadness filled his eyes,
"Dr. Tancredi I presume?" Sara nodded and shook his hand,
"I knew your father well. He was a magnificent politician," the President said
"Thank you," Sara slowly sat back down and Michael followed after greeting the President, taking her hand again he drew small circles with his thumb on the back of it.
"Well ladies and gentlemen; I have with me the press release that will be released on the AP wire in twenty minutes along with exoneration papers. I have had a team working all night building sufficient evidence to back up your allegations. This evidence will work along side Mr. Green's case. Now if you will please look over these documents and sign they are the documents that will be presented in court. Once you sign those I will sign these," the President set down four documents, one with Lincoln's name, Michael's, Sara's, and LJ's.
"There," the President began, "are your exoneration and full pardon papers," he finished. Michael gently flipped through the stapled document and glanced at his brother.
This was all he ever wanted.
Sara watched as their freedom lay literally right before them.
Lincoln glanced at his son and then his brother, his smile wider than Michael could ever remember. Quickly Lincoln grabbed the court documents and went to sign. Michael reached out and grabbed his brother's hand,
"We need to read them first," he said. Lincoln froze and his smile faltered, "it's important the facts are right Linc," Michael told his brother as he began to read through the documents.
An hour later Michael picked up the expensive pen sitting in front of him and gracefully signed his name on the document that held his testimony. He watched as the other occupants of the room did the same. Pushing the papers towards the President who then handed them to his aid, Michael watched the President then pick up the pen he had used and sign four documents, exonerating and pardoning LJ, Sara, Lincoln, and himself. Michael felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he could finally breathe.
"You understand that you will be called to testify correct?" Cooper Green spoke from his position next to the President.
All four nodded, and Jane spoke up,
"How soon can we expect the trial?" she asked.
"As soon as this hits the media the Supreme Court Justice is going to want to take care of it immediately. People will be arrested within the next few hours and brought to trial in a week or so. The right to a speedy and public trial correct?" Cooper answered.
"Wow," was all Michael could get out, Sara turned to him and smiled.
Suddenly the doors to the room creaked open and a woman stepped in,
"Sir, it has hit the wires," she informed the President picking up a remote control and switching the television mounted on the wall behind them on.
CNN had Lincoln and Michael's pictures on screen along with huge words the read: BREAKING NEWS.
"You did it man," Lincoln slapped his brother on the back as the room listened to the press release being read to the entire nation…and the world.
THREE MONTHS LATER:
Michael stepped into his apartment and threw is keys on the small table that sat next to his couch, it had been a long day.
After the conspiracy had exploded everyone had wanted to meet or interview the "mastermind". He hadn't particularly liked the attention, nor had the rest of his family, but it did play a role when it came to being able to get his job back with the firm he had worked with prior to Fox River. They seemed to think it was good for business if Michael was working for them once again. He hadn't though, been able to get is old apartment back but that was fine with him. Not only was this apartment nicer than his last, but his building was only a few blocks from Sara's… well soon to be Sara's old building come that weekend.
Stopping he frowned noticing only the beginning of Sara's many boxes that would soon be taking up residence in his living room until their contents had found proper homes among his things. Michael had been through a lot, but tidy was still something he enjoyed and he had a feeling that this move was going to be anything but, Sara was after all, a pack rat.
Noticing a small white object on one of the bigger boxes he walked up to it and picked it up. Smiling he realized it was a small paper crane. He had been teaching Sara origami and she was starting to really pick it up.
Unfolding its wing he read Sara's distinct hand writing:
You know it's weird, I've discovered I can leave cryptic messages on paper birds too,
Michael glanced around the apartment; Sara shouldn't have been home for at least another hour. She usually worked at the clinic late on Thursdays.
Turning towards the hall that led to the bedroom Michael's smile widened as he spotted yet another crane. Picking it up he read the next message,
Don't worry; mine won't lead you across country.
Taking a few more steps down the hall Michael found another outside the closed door that led to the bedroom.
It'll take you just inside…
Michael read the five words and already had his hand on the door knob turning before he finished. Swinging the door open he was disappointed to find the room empty. The bed neatly made just as he had left it that morning.
Frowning he stepped into the room and glanced around looking for another crane.
"You know, it took me a half hour to make those three things?" Came a familiar voice from the doorway.
Smiling he whirled around to find Sara leaning against the door jam. They hadn't seen each other in two days. Both had been extremely busy at work and Sara had insisted on staying at her place for the week in order to pack.
Sara smiled at Michael as he walked quickly over to her and wrapped his arms around her,
"You're off work early," he whispered.
"Lucky you," she responded. Michael laughed lightly and leaned forward taking her lips with his.
Stepping backwards he brought her with him and began to reach for the hem of her sweater. Sara pulled away and smiled,
"No you don't, we are going to be late for dinner with Lincoln, Jane, and LJ," she told him.
"Make them wait, better yet call and cancel," Michael told her.
Sara laughed and placed her hands on her hips. Michael's eye caught the flash of light that bounced off the ring he had placed on her left hand a month ago when he asked her to marry him.
"No! We planned this last week Michael," she told him stepping away.
"We spent months with them. Don't you think they are tired of us…don't you think we are tired of them?" he asked.
"This is your brother, nephew, and good friend. We are not blowing them off," Sara said grabbing his hand and turning down the hall.
"You teased me," Michael protested. Sara laughed out loud and turned back around,
"No," she paused, "I just gave you an idea…I guess you could call it a preview for later on," she told him.
Michael stopped and shook his head,
"You're horrible," he told her. Sara leaned forward bringing her lips close to Michael's, so close that they slightly brushed his,
"Come on Michael, have a little faith."
Fin! That's it! Thanks so much for reading! I know it took me forever, but I really did enjoy writing this story. Thank you for all that reviewed and let me know you were out there reading.
Please let me know what you thought. Your comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed with open arms!
Loti