A/N: I am so sorry for not updating for almost a month! I mean, really, really sorry! I'm really sorry for making you all wait so long for this chapter. Hopefully it's what you expected and then more.

A million thanks to my friend Jen for the beta read!

Enjoy!
"A storm is coming."

Sara looked at the man sitting on the exam bed in front of her. "You think so?" she asked as she looked him over.

The old man nodded, his gray hairs falling about his forehead. "Yup. Every time I get sick there's always a storm."

Sara smiled at the old man, finding his superstition a little amusing. "Then I guess we should try and get you healthy again." She tore a paper off her prescription pad and handed it to him. "Here's your prescription, just head down to the pharmacy, they'll give you your medication and then you're good to go."

The old man smiled at her as he took the prescription from her. "Thank you, doctor. You be sure to be careful outdoors now."

"I'll be sure to, thanks for the warning," Sara said, "you take care now."

The old man nodded and stood up from the exam bed. Just as he exited the room, Lindsey stepped in. Sara looked up at her.

"You ready for lunch?" Lindsey asked her.

Sara smiled and nodded.

---

"Knock, knock," Lily said as she rapt her fist on the open door of Michael's office where both he and Andrew were looking over blueprints and paperwork.

"Hey," Michael said in greeting.

"Hey baby," Andrew said with a grin. He held an arm out to her and she strode right into it, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"The 'Beast' has given us a new project," Lily said holding out a file.

Andrew frowned. "A new one? But we're still working on the Fox River project."

"Yeah, but seeing as how we're wrapping that one up, he thought he should get us started on another one," Lily said. "And apparently this one's going to mean a lot of money for us."

Michael took the file from her. "Then why don't you sound happy about that?" he asked, a bit wary of the lack of enthusiasm in Lily's voice.

"Because someone is coming today to talk to us about the buildings they want," Lily replied, "and that someone is a person none of us like."

Both Michael and Andrew looked to her with dread. "Who?" they asked simultaneously.

"Robert."

Michael's eyes became wide and Andrew screamed "What?!"

"Please tell me you're joking Lily," Michael pleaded.

"I wish I was."

"That bastard!" Andrew fumed. "The only reason why he's coming is to harass Michael!"

"I know that's why I tried telling our boss to get someone else to talk to him but he said he wanted the best to be the ones handling this," Lily said shaking her head. She sighed. "The price of doing a good job."

Andrew swore and Michael ran a hand down his face. Things were going to get ugly.

---

"You seem different, Sara."

Sara tore her eyes away from the images that seemed to pass by through the passenger side window of her friend's car.

"How so Lindsey?"

Lindsey shrugged. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something different about you."

Sara smiled. "There is something different about me."

"What?"

"I'm single."

Lindsey shot a look of surprise at her friend. "Wait, you broke up with Robert?"

The red head nodded. "That's precisely what I'm saying."

Lindsey's mouth dropped. Then she grinned. "When?"

"Yesterday."

Sara's friend practically squealed with delight. "I'm so proud of you right now!" she said with a chuckle.

Sara laughed with her. "I'm a bit proud of myself too."

"So what are you going to do now?" Lindsey asked as she made a right turn.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to be with Michael now?"

Sara turned her head away from her friend and bit her bottom lip slightly. "I don't know…"

Lindsey glanced at her friend in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know? You like him, right?"

"Yes," Sara answered, a smile appearing on her face. Very much.

"Then I say you should go to him."

"It's just…"

"Just what?" Lindsey asked looking at her as they were stopped at a red light.

"Don't you think he might resent me a little bit after all that's happened?"

Lindsey almost laughed at her friend's insecurities. It was just too silly. "Honey, I honestly believe that you do not have to worry about that."

A smile formed on Sara's face, wiping away any doubt she had. "Thanks Lindsey."

"Anytime," Lindsey said. The light turned green and she pushed her foot onto the gas pedal. She pulled into the parking lot of their normal lunch break restaurant and parked her car. "Come on, let's eat."

---

It was awkward. Robert had been in Michael's office no more than five minutes and no one had said one word. The silence was unnerving and the tension in the air was thick. Unable to take it anymore, Lily spoke up.

"So, you want our firm to design and build new offices for you?" she asked the man sitting in the chair in front of Michael's desk.

"Yes," Robert replied blinking. "Governor Tancredi himself recommended your firm to me," he said politely but then added, "although I wonder if he would have if he knew what you turned his daughter into."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Andrew asked angrily.

Michael cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Look Robert-"

"I would prefer you call me Mr. Spencer."

"Okay, Mr. Spencer," Michael said with a twinge of bitterness, "I know our last meeting wasn't exactly pleasant, but we're all adults, thus capable of being civilized enough to do business with each other."

"Well, I certainly hope so," Robert said condescendingly.

Lily saw Andrew's fist clench and Michael's eye twitch. This was going to turn really ugly really soon. They needed reinforcements.

"If you three would excuse me for a few moments, I need to use the ladies room," she said as she hurried out of Michael's office to the restroom. Once there, Lily whipped her cell phone out and began punching numbers.

---

Sara had just popped a cherry tomato from her salad into her mouth when her cell phone began to ring. Digging around her purse she pulled it out and swallowed her food before she said, "Hello?"

"Sara, I need your help."

Sara frowned. "Lily? What's wrong?"

"Robert's here at our firm."

"What? What is he doing there?"

"To do business or so he says, but you and I both know that that isn't true," Lily said over the phone.

"Is it bad?" Sara asked warily.

"Not yet, but when I left the room Andrew looked like he was two steps away from kicking him in the balls."

Sara rubbed her eyes in irritation. "Okay, I'm going to be there as soon as I can. Hold down the fort until then."

Click.

Lindsey looked at her friend with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Robert's over at Michael's office," Sara said as she quickly slipped her purse on her shoulder and stood up in a hurry. "We have to go!"

Lindsey's eyes became wide. "Wait, what?" But Sara wasn't stopping. Lindsey stumbled out of her chair after her.

---

Lily slipped back into Michael's office quietly. The three men were still in the same positions they were in when she left. Michael sat behind his desk with Andrew standing beside him. Robert was still in the chair in front of them. Lily let out a sigh of relief. They weren't at each other's throats… yet.

When they looked at her she gave them a weak and nervous smile and asked, "What did I miss?"

"Just the basic preliminary stuff," Andrew answered as Lily came up to stand next to him.

Robert looked at the couple. "Does your boss know that the two of you are dating? Is that proper here? Because where I work, relationships between colleagues are not allowed." ( how would you fell about adding something like: no fishing off the company pier: relationships between colleagues are not allowed, no fishing of the company pier if you know what I mean)

Andrew glared at him and took a step forward but Michael firmly grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Mr. Spencer, let's keep things about the business at hand," he said to the man in the chair.

Robert smirked at him. "Of course." He knew he was getting under his skin. "Your boss was very excited when I talked to him on the phone. We're offering a lot of money so you guys better do your best to convince me that your firm is the best for the job." He uncrossed and re-crossed his legs. "I can't imagine what would happen if you guys lost such a big dollar project." Actually, he could imagine. They all would be fired.

Apparently they knew that too. Andrew growled at him. "Look, I think we all know that you have no plans of doing business with us so why don't you get lost!"

Robert's smirk turned into a look of anger. "Not before I get some answers first." He turned to look at Michael. "Tell me Michael, the minute after Sara broke up with me did she drag you off to her bed or were the two of you already sleeping with each other while she was with me?"

Michael blinked. The steeled mask he had put on his face the moment Robert walked into the building slipped away and one of bemusement replaced it. "What?"

"Sara broke up with you?" Lily asked, eyes wide and mouth left open. Andrew just laughed.

Robert ignored both of them and kept his gaze on Michael. "She didn't tell you?"

Michael shook his head, a little stunned, but on the inside his heart was practically leaping for joy at the news that Sara broke things off with Robert. But he wondered what that meant, especially for him, for them.

Michael's thoughts were interrupted by Robert's snort. "Well, I'm quite surprised. I was sure she would have run off to you the second she broke things off with me." He threw Michael a slight smirk. "Perhaps she found someone else. I heard she was quite the wild child back in college which isn't too hard to believe. I mean, have you seen her drunk? She's quite the little minx. Why sometimes I would purposely get her drunk so-"

"Not. Another. Word. Out. Of. Your. Mouth. Robert," Michael said, gritting his teeth with each warning word. He knew the subject of alcohol was sensitive to Sara and by God he will not let this man insult her right in front of him.

Both Lily and Andrew were surprised at Michael's dangerous tone. They had never seen Michael so angry before. It was rather frightening.

Robert's eyes narrowed at Michael. "Your threats mean nothing to me."

Michael grew angrier by the second. He stood up to show the man sitting in front of him just how threatening he can be, but he saw Sara with Lindsey standing behind her in the doorway of his office.

"Sara?"

Everyone turned their head to the doorway and saw Sara walk into Michael's office. On her face was a mixture of anger and annoyance. Robert stood up as she walked towards him.

"Sara-" Robert began but Sara cut him off.

"What the hell are you doing here, Robert?" Sara demanded. Her voice was calm and collected but it held so much anger in it. Like the calm before a storm. Lily and Andrew shuddered. If they thought Michael raising his voice was scary, Sara not raising her voice was just as, if not more, frightening.

Robert nearly growled. "You know damn well why I'm here! How could you do that to me? After everything?"

"It was rather easy what with you being the way you are," Sara said narrowing her eyes.

"The way I am? Look around you Sara! The company you keep!" Robert said throwing his arm around the room, motioning to Lindsey, Lily, Andrew, and Michael. "You have Lindsey who's the most insufferable bitch I've ever met," he then motioned to Lily and Andrew, "they have nothing but sex on their minds," he then finally motioned to Michael, "and you have Michael who gets into drunken bar fights and gets arrested for them."

"You don't know them like I do, and you also don't know me at all," Sara said.

"I've known you for years! That man has only known you for a few months!" Robert was practically shouting.

But Sara kept her cool. "And yet he knows far more about me than you do. They all know me better than you do."

"I'm a thousand times better than all four of them put together!"

Sara glared at him. "You're so full of yourself, Robert. You know what you need?"

"What?" Robert said in a snarl.

"This."

Sara swung her right arm and her fist connected right with his nose. Everyone gasped. Robert stumbled back, his hands reaching up to his nose which was now bleeding. Sara hissed from the pain throbbing in her knuckles and cradled her palm with her other hand. She glared at Robert who was swearing at her.

"You should leave Robert."

Robert growled incoherent words at her, but he stormed out holding his nose. Sara turned to Michael, Lily, and Andrew.

"I'm so sorry about this you guys," she apologized.

Andrew chuckled. "Are you kidding me? Seeing you punch Robert just very well made my day! I didn't know you had such a good right hook!"

"I didn't know either." Everyone laughed.

Lindsey stepped up to her friend. "Sara, you are officially my hero. I've wanted to do that for years."

Sara chuckled but then hissed in pain again when her fingertips brushed across her aching knuckles. Michael frowned.

"We should probably put some ice on that. Come on," he said, leading her out of his office and to the break room.

They heard Andrew's voice behind them. "Oh shit! The 'Beast' is coming!" But Michael ignored him. He wanted to tend to Sara's hand first. He'd worry about his raging boss later.

He opened the refrigerator door, but he couldn't find any ice packs. So he got a plastic baggie and stuck some ice cubes in it. "Here, let me see your hand."

Sara held out her hand to Michael and he gingerly took it into his, placing the bag of ice gently on her knuckles with his other hand. He didn't let go of her hand. She smiled.

"Thank you, Dr. Michael," she said.

Michael chuckled. "You're very welcome."

Both of them looked up from their hands into each other's faces. Michael smiled at her and Sara felt a blush coming on. She looked down back at their joined hands. Both his touch and the ice were making the pain go away. Sara smiled again.

"So you broke up with Robert?" Michael asked for clarification.

Sara looked back up at him. "Yes."

"Why?"

She looked away bashfully. "Um, well..."

"Scofield!"

Both Michael and Sara jumped at the voice of the 'Beast.' He stormed into the break room, absolutely fuming. Michael pulled his hand away from Sara's, and she immediately missed the contact.

"Sir-" Michael began...

"What the hell happened back there?" he demanded. "Why did Mr. Spencer storm out like that?"

"Because of me," Sara spoke up.

Michael's boss looked at her. "And you would be..?"

"Sara Tancredi," Sara said. "This is entirely my fault. Please don't penalize Michael when I'm to blame."

The 'Beast' blanched. "Wait, Tancredi as in Governor Tancredi?"

"Yes, the Governor is my father," Sara said. "You must understand that Robert had no intention of doing business with your firm. He was only here because of personal reasons concerning me and I'm afraid Michael got caught up in the middle of it."

"You're the governor's daughter?" he asked.

Sara nodded. "I am so sorry for causing such a scene."

"No, no," he said, not wanting to upset the daughter of the governor, "it's quite all right. I understand completely. Don't worry Mr. Scofield isn't in any trouble."

Sara smiled at him. "Thank you, sir," she said sincerely. "You know, the hospital I work at is thinking about adding a new wing. Perhaps your firm could..?"

Michael's boss smiled at her. "We'd be glad to." He looked down at his wrist watch. "Excuse me; I have a previous engagement I must attend to."

Both Michael and Sara nodded as he left the room. Michael turned to Sara.

"Wow, you charmed the 'Beast," he said smiling, "is there anything you can't do?"

Sara laughed. "I think a lot of that had to do with who my father is."

Michael laughed with her. "Well, it saved me from getting fired."

"Sara?"

Both Michael and Sara looked to the doorway to see Lindsey standing there.

"Sorry for interrupting, but Dr. Reilly just paged me and seeing as how we were supposed to be back at the hospital about twenty minutes ago, I'm guessing she's extremely pissed," she told them.

Sara winced, imagining the wrath Dr. Reilly would lay upon her and Lindsey when they got back to the hospital. She might have been able to charm Michael's boss but there was nothing she could do to charm her boss when she was angry. She turned to Michael.

"Sorry," she told him.

"It's okay," he said smiling, "I'll see you later."

Sara smiled. "Okay. Bye."

She and Lindsey walked out of the building and to Lindsey's car. Lindsey was grinning at Sara.

"What?" Sara asked.

Lindsey's grin grew. "Nothing, it's just that the two of you are just too cute together."

Sara bashfully looked away. "Well, you better wipe that grin off your face because I don't think Reilly will find it 'cute' at all when we get back."

Lindsey sighed. "You're right," she said, starting up her car. "So how did you calm down Michael's boss? He was so pissed!"

"I just mentioned my father and he just became nice."

Lindsey froze. Sara noticed. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You do know that Robert's going to tell your father about this little incident, don't you?"

Sara paled at that realization. The first time she broke up with Robert, the confrontation with her father after wasn't exactly pretty. She could only imagine how he would react now and with Thanksgiving coming up in a couple days... Oh God. She was going to have to face her father soon.

"Sara?" Lindsey called out.

Sara barely heard her. The old man from this morning was right. A storm was coming.

---

"So you're spending Thanksgiving alone?" Andrew asked his best friend. A day had past since the 'Robert Office Incident' and things were getting back to normal. People were excited and getting ready for the couple of days they had off for Thanksgiving. The only thing better was Christmas break.

"LJ's spending it with his mom and her family and Linc's doing whatever he does, so yeah," Michael answered him.

"You could come with me to Michigan if you want to," Andrew offered.

Michael chuckled. "Nervous about meeting Lily's family?"

"Yes! You have to help me Michael! They're going to eat me alive!"

Michael chuckled again. "No, they won't," he assured him, "and if they try to you know Lily's more than capable to beat them back."

Andrew laughed at that and nodded. "So you're really going to spend Thanksgiving alone?"

"Yeah, I'm going to cook a big fat turkey just for myself," Michael joked.

"You cook?" Andrew joked as well. Michael socked him in the shoulder. Andrew just grinned. "Maybe you should invite Sara over and have her help you, cook the turkey, if you know what I mean," he said wiggling his eyebrows.

Michael shook his head at him and chuckled. "She's heading up to Springfield for Thanksgiving."

"Ah, probably to spend it at Governor Daddy's big mansion there," Andrew said.

"She sounded nervous when she told me though," Michael said.

"Maybe because of Robert, isn't he like good friends with the governor?" Andrew asked.

Michael nodded. He was wondering the same thing. He hoped Sara would be all right.

"So you guys are leaving tonight?"

"Yup. We want to go before the storm hits, you know. It would be a real bitch to travel in a storm," Andrew said.

Michael agreed.

---

Sara looked up at the dark cloudy sky as she walked up the long driveway of her father's mansion in Springfield, Illinois. The air was damp and it looked like it would start raining any minute now. She could only think of how fitting the weather was for that day, the day she was dreading, Thanksgiving. Ever since Governor Tancredi married Eileen, she had made sure that he was there for all the big holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sara was absolutely dreading seeing her father now, which is why she purposely arrived late so that her siblings would arrive before her, increasing the chance that her father wouldn't catch her alone.

Sara sighed as she rang the bell of her father's front door. It was cowardly for her to hide behind her siblings and her nieces and nephews, but she didn't want to be confronted by her father alone. He was the only person that could make her so angry, so riled up, that she would say something she would end up regretting later. He was the only one that could truly bring her down to her lowest points and then some. She didn't want that to happen. Sara took a deep breath as the door opened.

She was greeted with the smiling face of her younger sister, Cameron. "Hey Sara, it's about time you got here!" she exclaimed, letting her in. "I mean, I live across the country in California and I got here before you!"

Sara laughed. "Hey Cameron," she said as she walked inside.

"Auntie Sara!"

The two women turned to see their niece and nephew hanging off the arms of their stepbrother, Eileen's son from her previous marriage, Vincent. The twins let go of their uncle's arms and ran up to their aunt.

Sara bent down and gave both Angie and Connor a big hug. "Hey you two," she said smiling. Vincent came up to them. "Hey Vincent," she said.

Vincent smiled at her and pulled his step-sister into a big bear hug. "Hey little sis, good to see you!" He grinned. "Now I can dump the little ones on you and go help everyone in the kitchen."

Cameron laughed. "And by 'help' you mean eat all the food before we get to serve it at dinnertime."

Everyone laughed. Sara smiled at her stepbrother. "Okay, I'll keep an eye on the twins as long as you save me a slice of pumpkin pie."

"Done!" Vincent said, grinning and off he went towards the kitchen. The sound of Rose screaming "Vincent, don't touch that!" could be heard from the hallway.

Cameron chuckled. "I better intervene before Rose starts beating Vincent up with a rolling pin or something," she said shaking her head. "My crazy older siblings."

"Hey, I'm one of your 'crazy older siblings,' Cameron," Sara said to her little sister.

Cameron just laughed and scampered off towards the kitchen as well. Sara looked down at her niece and nephew. "So what do you two want to do while we wait for dinner?"

"Oh! I want to show you the picture dat I drew in school!" Angie said, jumping up and down excitedly.

"Okay." Sara held the twins' hands as they walked down the long hallway to the living room. Midway, they ran into Sara's father.

"You're here, Sara," Frank said with his usual strong tone.

Sara nodded. "Yeah." She took a good look at her father. He didn't look too happy. Yup, he did talk to Robert. Sara almost grimaced.

"The two of us need to talk," he said, "but we'll talk after dinner."

Sara nodded again. Frank Tancredi brushed past her towards his study, most likely to make a few phone calls or to work on some paperwork. Sara let out the breath she was holding. The worst was being put off for now. Angie and Connor stared up at their aunt.

"Is Grandpa mad at you Auntie Sara?" Connor asked.

Sara looked down at them. "I think so..."

"Why?" Angie asked her.

"It's really nothing," Sara told them, "you don't have to worry about it. Now show me those pictures you drew." She put on a smile for them.

Angie and Connor looked at each other but then decided to let it go and the three of them continued onto the living room. Sara looked out a window on the way. It had begun to rain.

---

Dinner went by nicely with the normal family chit chat, laughter, and catching up. But Sara was unable to fully enjoy the wonderful dinner. All throughout dinner, Sara felt her father's narrow eyes, set on her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat numerous times.

"What about you Sara?"

Sara looked up from her plate. She completely blanked on the current conversation. She was so nervous for the upcoming 'talk' with her father that she wasn't paying any attention.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Cameron asked.

"Oh, no, I actually just got out of a relationship recently," Sara answered.

"Oh, you broke up with Robert again?" Eileen asked. Obviously, Frank hadn't told her yet.

"Robert?" Rose asked. "Wait, what about that Michael guy Bill and I met at your apartment? We thought you were dating him."

Angie and Connor perked up at the mention of Michael's name. "Michael's so cool!" they both exclaimed.

Vincent raised an eyebrow at Sara and smirked. "Two guys Sara? I didn't know you had it in you!" he teased.

Sara shrunk in her chair, half in embarrassment, the other half in horror. With everyone talking at once she snuck a glance at her father. He was glaring at her. Eileen didn't notice her husband's glare at Sara but she did notice Sara's state of discomfort.

"Now, now," Eileen began in an admonishing tone, "you're all embarrassing her. Stop it now." Everyone became quiet. "Anyway, it's time for dessert. Sara, will you help me?"

Sara nodded and stood up from her chair, eager to get out of the dinning room. She followed her stepmother into the kitchen.

"So you really did break up with Robert again? Why?" Eileen asked. She wasn't reprimanding her. She just wanted to know.

"Because I realized that I made a wrong decision in going back to him," she answered, taking a pumpkin pie out of a box.

"So will you be hooking up with Michael anytime soon? Or has that already happened?" Eileen asked a small smile on her face.

A rosy hue appeared on Sara's cheeks. "No, we're not together. I think I should let some time pass before..."

Eileen nodded, understanding her stepdaughter completely. "Well, what ever you do, I just hope you're happy with it."

Sara smiled. She was very grateful to have some support. She was going to need it to get through the night. The two of them went back to the dinning room with dessert in hand.

---

Sara stood outside the door of her father's study. She knew that inside her father was waiting for her. It was late now and everyone had retired to their rooms for the night. Everyone except for Sara and her father. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

She opened the door slowly and quietly. Her father stood at the large glass window, looking out it. Outside it was really pouring. Rain drops pounded the pavement and grass outside by the tons. Sara took a step forward, but then a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, making her gasp out of momentary fright. Her father turned around when he heard her.

"Sara."

"Dad."

Father and daughter stood, staring at each other for a moment. Everything was silent, save for the storm growing outside.

Frank Tancredi stared hard at his daughter as he spoke to her. "You broke up with Robert again," he stated.

Sara nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he's not right for me."

"Not right for you?" The volume of his voice rose. "Sara, he's a good man with an excellent job. He loves you and is able to provide you with whatever you want. You can't get men any better than that!"

Sara just shook her head at her father, making his anger grow even more. She could see it in his eyes. But Sara wasn't going to chicken out now.

"You're doing this to spite me, aren't you? You're doing this just to make me angry."

Sara remained silent. Her father spoke on.

"You will go back to Robert and you will apologize to him for punching him," he told her.

"I'll apologize for punching him, but I won't go back to him. I'm through with Robert for good," Sara said, "There's no chance of us getting back together ever."

"Sara, what is wrong with you?"

"There is nothing wrong with me," Sara said, getting angry.

"Then why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Doing what Dad?"

"Ruining your life!" he yelled. "For some other man that gets into bar fights, you're willing to give up a perfectly good man like Robert!"

Sara shook her head. "Don't go there, Dad," she warned him. She didn't like that he was judging Michael when he doesn't even know him in the first place. He has no right.

"Really Sara, I thought you had better judgment," her father told her with disdain.

"He's not the reason why I broke up with Robert!"

"Then why Sara? Tell me why!" His voice was getting dangerously high. Another bolt of lightning thundered outside, but Sara didn't let it scare her this time.

"Because he's just like you!" she yelled. "Because I don't want to end up like mom, a bitter drunk driven to her death because of a man who doesn't even love her at all!"

SMACK.

Sara brought her hand up to her cheek. It stung and was most likely red with a handprint. She had not seen her father raise his palm. She had not seen him swing it at her face. It all happened too fast for Sara to see anything. But she definitely felt it. He hit her. He never hit her before. She turned her head back to face her father.

His eyes widened at the realization of what he had just done. "Sara..."

She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to hear another word from her father. She spun on her heels and bolted for the door.

"Sara!" she heard her father call out for her as she ran down the hallways, not stopping.

She threw open the front door and ran down his front steps in the pouring rain towards her car. Another bolt of lighting flashed across the sky with a sickening crash. The storm was getting worse. Sara quickly got into her car, soaked to the bone, and sped away from her father's mansion.

Sara drove blindly in the rain. She found herself on the highway heading back to Chicago. The highway was bare. No one was crazy enough to be driving in this kind of weather. Her eyes stung hot with tears that she refused to let fall.

Too distracted by her anger and her hurt and blinded by the rain, Sara didn't see the piece of metal in the middle of the road. She drove right over it. The piece of metal shredded her tire and her car jumped and jerked. Sara slammed her foot on her brake pedal but the rain had made the road slippery, thus causing her car to skid. She screamed as water splashed and crashed into her closed windows from the puddles her car drove into. Images of her mother crashing her car came into her mind. No! She would not let what happened to her mom happen to her. She calmed herself enough to regain control of her car and managed to get it to stop skidding. She was just lucky there was nothing out here for her to crash into.

Once her car came to a complete stop, Sara let out the breath she was holding in. Her hands were shaking on the steering wheel, both from the frightening experience she had just gone through and from the cold. She took her shaking hands off the wheel and wrapped them around her shoulders, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Once her head was clear enough she then thought of her current situation. She was stuck in the middle of nowhere dead smack in a storm that was getting worse by the minute. Sara reached for her phone in her purse. She flipped it open. She'd be damned if she called her father for help, but there was no one else. Lindsey was in New York visiting her parents, Lily and Andrew were in Michigan, and Michael...

Michael...

---

Ring. Ring.

Michael looked up from his desk. He heard the faint ringing of his cell phone from inside his room. Who would be calling him this late? Michael sighed. Only Lincoln would call him this late. He stood up from his desk of blueprints and sketches in frustration and headed to his bedroom.

He grabbed his phone off his nightstand and his eyes became wide. The display read "Sara." He quickly answered.

"Sara? Is something wrong?"

"Michael... I need your help..." She sounded so scared, so frightened, he didn't like hearing her like that.

"Sara what happened?" he asked, terribly worried.

"I got a flat tire... and I'm stuck on the way to Chicago coming from Springfield..." Sara said through chattering teeth. "Can you come get me?" she asked meekly.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Stay in your car." Michael shut his phone and bolted out of his room. He grabbed his coat and an umbrella from the closet and scrambled out of his apartment.

---

Sara shivered. She rubbed her icy hands up and down her arms. In her hurry to get away from her father she had forgotten to put on her coat, and it also didn't help that the heater in her car didn't work. Her hair was wet and clung to her face in thick wavy strands. She sneezed. She was going to catch a cold if she was to stay out in the cold any longer.

'Michael, where are you?'

Almost like on cue, she saw headlights in the distance. The car drove up to her car and out stepped a dark figure holding up an umbrella. She immediately knew it was Michael. He walked up to her front door and knocked on her window. "Sara?"

Sara opened her front door. Michael held the umbrella over her head as she stepped out. She looked up into his eyes, relieved and completely happy to see him.

"Michael..." she sniffled.

"Come on," he said leading her to his car, "let's get you out of this rain."

---

He took her back to his place. During the drive back to Chicago he could tell that Sara was very upset about something and that she really needed someone with her tonight. And his place was closer anyways. He didn't want to have to drive anymore than he had to in the storm.

The two of them walked into his apartment, leaving small wet puddles on his wooden floor near the entrance. Michael looked at Sara. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, looking completely vulnerable. She was drenched. Her hair was dark from the water and her clothes were clinging to her body. Quite nicely actually... Michael nearly smacked himself. She's standing there completely frozen to the bone and here he was slipping into sexual fantasies. It was because he had seen her in her underwear that night. That image was forever burned into his mind.

"I'll get you some dry clothes to wear," he said to her.

Sara nodded and followed him to his bedroom. He pulled open a couple of drawers and produced some grey sweats along with a black T-shirt.

"You can change in the bathroom over there," he said pointing to a door in his bedroom, "If you want to use the shower to warm up, feel free to. I'll go make you some tea."

Sara nodded again taking the clothes from him while not saying a word. She gave him a weak smile and disappeared into the bathroom. Michael heard the shower taps turn on. He walked out of his bedroom and headed towards his kitchen to make some tea for Sara. As he filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove, he wondered what had happen to her. No doubt it had something to do with her father seeing as she was coming from her father's place in Springfield.

The kettle whistled, signaling to him that the water was ready. He poured it into two mugs and stuck a couple of tea bags in them. He heard soft footsteps and looked up to see Sara now dressed in his old clothes. Michael froze. They were just a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, yet on Sara... God! He did not know why seeing her dressed in his clothes was such a turn on, but it was. He realized it was a rather intimate gesture. And he liked the feeling it gave him.

"Is the tea ready?" Sara asked quietly. When he didn't respond immediately, she called out to him. "Michael?"

Michael shook himself out of his stupor. "Uh yeah," he said, handing her a mug.

Sara smiled at him and took a seat at his counter, sipping the hot liquid, letting it warm her insides. "Thanks."

Michael smiled back at her and sat down as well. "So you want to tell me what happened?"

Sara swallowed her tea and set the mug down. She sighed. "I got into an argument with my father," she told him quietly. "And I ran away, foolishly into the rain. My tire caught onto something in the road and I lost control of my car."

Michael paled. Sara could have died tonight. She saw the look of fear on his face, fear for her. "It's okay Michael," she said. "I'm okay now, thanks to you."

Michael nodded slowly, watching her sip her tea. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes," she said giving him a smile. "Thank you so much for getting me. I'm sorry for bothering you so late."

"No, it's okay. I'm just glad that you're all right."

A flash of lightning thundered outside, causing Sara to jump slightly. Michael frowned.

"Are you afraid of storms?" he asked her.

"Now I am," she told him.

"I was too, back when I was little," Michael said. "During storms, my mom would gather me and my brother up and stick us under a ping pong table with a bunch of pillows and blankets. We would sit and lie there together, waiting for the storm to pass. I don't know how, but sitting under that table with my mom and brother made my fears go away."

Sara smiled at that. "You wouldn't happen to have a ping pong table here, do you?"

Michael laughed. "Sorry, I don't, but I do have a bed." He then realized how suggestive that sounded and quickly added, "I mean, you can sleep in my bed tonight and I'll take the couch."

Sara smiled at him. "I can't take your bed, Michael."

"I insist. You had a rough night and need some rest."

Sara looked down at the mug in her hands, smiling. "Okay. Thank you, Michael."

"You're welcome."

They smiled at each other and finished off their tea. Sara followed Michael back to his bedroom. He got some extra blankets out from his closet.

"If you get cold, here are some extra blankets for you," he said, handing a couple to Sara.

She took them from him. "Thank you Michael."

Michael nodded. "Sweet dreams, Sara."

Sara smiled at him. "Sweet dreams to you too, Michael."

He smiled back at her and then left the room. Sara laid the blankets on top of Michael's comforter and climbed into his bed, laying her head on his pillow. The pillow smelled like him. Sara turned her face, burying it into his pillow and inhaled his scent, letting it tempt her into the sweet world of dreams.

---

Sara woke up, blinking her eyes open. At first she didn't recognize her surroundings, but then realized she was in Michael's room. She smiled and sat up. She looked out the window. It had finally stopped raining. The storm was over. She was glad for that. Sara flipped the bed covers off her legs and stood up from the bed. She headed outside to find Michael.

He was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. Or at least he was trying to cook breakfast. Sara stood amused, watching him trying to cook an omelette, which he was failing miserably at.

"Need help?" she offered.

Michael turned his head at the sound of her voice. He smiled sheepishly at her. "Uh yeah."

Sara chuckled and came up beside him, cracking eggs.

"My brother was the cook in the family. I live off take out and pop tarts," Michael told her.

Sara laughed as she cooked a perfect omelette. "Well, pop tarts are good, especially the brown sugar ones," she said, smiling up at him.

"I have that kind," he said. "Would you like some to go with your omelette?"

"Sure," Sara said with a chuckle.

Soon breakfast was cooked and the two of them were sitting together eating it.

"So did you sleep well?" Michael asked her.

Sara nodded. "Yes, very well, thank you." She took a bit out of her pop tart. "Your bed's really comfy."

"I'm glad."

The two of them sat smiling at each other. Sara looked down. "Michael," she began, looking back up, "thank you for all that you've done for me."

"Anytime Sara."

Sara blushed slightly under his gaze and Michael smiled at that. He inched his hand towards hers on the counter. His fingertips gently brushed her hand before he softly took it completely into his own hand. Sara looked down at him holding her hand. She let his fingers curl around her palm, and let her thumb gently caress the tips of those fingers. She looked up to his face, into his eyes.

Both of them felt their breath hitch when their eyes met. Blue-green orbs met soft hazel ones. They gazed at each other for what seemed like forever. Finally, Michael found his ability to move again and began to lean forward...

Ring. Ring.

Michael inwardly groaned. It was Sara's cell phone this time. She quickly said "Excuse me," and ran off to find her phone. Michael sighed and took their empty plates and set them in his sink. He followed after Sara.

"Yes, I'm all right, Mom," she said into the phone. "Yes, I did leave last night, I'm sorry." Pause. "No, I'm all right, really. There's no need-" Another pause. "Okay then."

She shut her phone and looked up at Michael. "Sorry, that was my step mom. She was worried about me." Michael nodded, understanding. "Can you take me home?" Sara asked. "She's on her way to my apartment right now."

"Okay," Michael said a little solemnly.

---

Michael walked Sara up to her apartment door with his hands in his pockets. Sara stood in front of her door, letting out a little sigh. She turned to Michael. "Thanks."

Michael nodded. "Anytime." He looked around himself at nothing and then back at her. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah," she said. "Bye."

"Bye." Michael turned and began to walk away.

"Michael!"

He turned around. Sara walked those few steps towards him. She stared up at his face for a few seconds. Then she stood up on the balls of her feet and pressed her lips to Michael's cheek in a small kiss. Michael blinked as she stood back down on the flats of her feet. She smiled a coy smile at him.

"Thank you," she said before turning around just as coyly as her smile was and disappeared into her apartment.

Michael blinked twice and brought his hand up to the cheek that Sara had kissed. He grinned to himself and began walking down the hall towards the elevator feeling as light as a feather.