Title: Faithfully Yours
Author: MichelleBA
Summary: The lives of Tony Almeida and Michelle Dessler, together and apart, through the good and bad.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler or any of the other mentioned "24" characters or things. (Lyrics by Gavin McGraw)
Chapter 37
"Michelle!" Gina yelled shaking Michelle's arm.
Michelle eyes flew open as she heard her cell phone ring. It stopped and she turned to Gina "Sorry"
"Damn girl, you are a deep sleeper," Gina said. "Your phone is extremely loud and I've been calling your name"
"Sorry" Michelle repeated rubbing her eyes. "Go back to sleep" she told Gina as she got up out of the chair she had fallen asleep in. She grabbed her phone and headed out to the hallway. Danny had called. "Oh crap," she said as she dialed his number "I completely forgot"
"Michelle!?" Danny answered.
"Yeah hi Danny I'm sorry I forgot to call-"
"Where are you!?"
"The hospital"
"What?!"
"One of my friends had an accident, I'm here to help her"
Danny let out a breath "Thank god you're alright, we've been sooo worried" he took another breath and relayed the message to the other people around him. "We are at your house we were about to call the police, you left all the lights on in your house including the stove"
"Damn it" she cursed herself.
"Well at least you're ok," he said "Are you gonna make it over here?"
Michelle looked at the clock it was 11PM "No, I'm sorry I need to stay with her but I will come visit soon"
"Ok, good luck I hope your friend gets better, anyone I know?"
"No" Michelle said.
"Ok bye"
"Bye" Michelle walked back into the room where Gina was about to fall asleep. "Gina I'm gonna run out I'll be right back"
"Ok" she said closing her eyes.
(The next morning)
"Merry Christmas!" Michelle greeted enthusiastically as Gina opened her eyes.
Gina took a second "Hey, Merry Christmas"
"I got you breakfast" Michelle said handing Gina a plate full of a wide assortment of foods "Don't worry I didn't make it"
Gina smiled "Thank you so much"
"You're welcome" Michelle said as she felt her phone start to vibrate. "I'll be right back." She walked out into the hallway "Tony?"
"Merry Christmas sweetheart!" he said.
"Merry Christmas!" she said with a huge smile.
"Did I wake you?" he asked.
"Would a ringing phone wake me?"
Tony laughed, "I guess not, so what are you doing?"
"I went out to the store this morning and bought Gina a big breakfast, she's eating it now"
"You are so sweet" Tony said, "I wish I were there so much you don't even understand"
"I do actually" Michelle said sadly "I feel the same"
"We'll celebrate it again when I come home"
Michelle smiled "Okay, sounds great, when will you be home?"
"Late tomorrow night probably around mid-night"
"Thank god, I've been going insane, just wait till you see what I've done!"
Tony frowned "What'd you do?"
"Well I washed our cars, cleaned both of our houses… hope you don't mind, did all of the laundry, reorganized my bookshelves, re-arranged furniture-"
"Have you been going to work?!"
"Yeah"
"Then where do you find the time to do all of this?"
"At night" she said simply.
"What about sleeping?"
"Haven't been doin too much of that"
"Why not?"
"I just can't fall asleep, every time I try, I'm at your house and I think about how I miss you and then I get an idea of something I can clean"
"You need sleep"
"And you need your cabinets cleaned out… I think I'll do that tonight"
"Michelle…" Tony warned
"Your refrigerator smells kinda funky too, maybe I should tackle that one too"
Tony sighed defeatedly "Fine, just stay away from the stove ok?" he said "And promise me you'll try to sleep tonight"
"Sure"
"Michelle…"
"I WILL!" Michelle looked through the door to Gina's hospital room "Gina can come home in a few days"
"Okay, is it okay if she stays with us?" Tony asked
"Us?" Michelle wondered aloud.
"Sorry, does that bother you?"
"No I like the sound of it and plus I already have the guest room ready for her… I moved the TV from your study into there and cleared the junk off the bed and put some fresh sheets on"
Tony laughed, "You're insane"
So many people gonna say that they want you,
To try to get you thinking they really care,
But there's nothing like the warmth of the one who has put in the time
and you know she's gonna be there,
Back your border when she knows someone crossed it,
Don't let nobody put you down, who your with
Take the pain of protecting your name, from the crutch to the cane to the high wire
Out the many broken backdoors and windows,
Through the valley of the love of the lost,
Is a hole that is cut through the souls falling down from the
thrones without leaving any windows,
But you drown in a piece for the moment,
The moment was over in time,
Then its gone the hit and run the tactless one has a short life
Gonna tell you what you do to think you practice what you preach,
Now I know there's nothing we can't reach,
'Cause the heart can't erase once it finds a place to be warm and welcome,
To be held in shelter
I'm in love with a girl who knows me better,
Fell for the woman just when I met her,
Took my sweet time when I was bitter,
Someone understands,
And she knows how to treat a fella right,
Give me that feeling every night,
Wants to make love when I want to fight,
Now someone understand me,
I'm in love with a girl
Michelle handed Gina the phone and whispered "I'm gonna run to the bathroom"
"Tony?" Gina said as Michelle left the room.
"Merry Christmas" Tony said.
"Thanks you too" she said.
"How you doing?"
"Better" Gina said "Geez Tony you have had bad luck in the past but you sure know how to pick 'em"
"What are you talking about?"
"Michelle! She's amazing" Gina said excitedly. Tony smiled on the other end of the phone "Get this! She brought me breakfast in bed, which was ready when I opened my eyes, it tastes amazing, she's basically held my hand through this whole thing and she stayed over at the hospital last night with me… two questions"
Tony continued to smile widely "What?"
"Where did you find her and does she come in hot-guy form?"
Tony laughed "Yeah I have no idea how I got so lucky"
"So how's your trip?"
"Ugh" Tony sighed, "These are the most depressing people I have ever met. They all have absolutely no life and they make me want to strangle myself"
Gina laughed, "What are you doing there?"
"Listening to them talk, which is all they do" Tony complained "Yesterday we spent three hours talking about formatting cover-sheets"
"Geez, you make me appreciate the crappy Spanish soap operas the lady next to me likes to watch all day" Gina said "So how much longer is this thing?"
"I'll be home tomorrow, but I won't see you until Saturday cause my flight gets in really late, but don't worry I'll be at the hospital early Saturday morning"
"Okay, I'll see you then" Gina said handing the phone off to Michelle who had just walked in.
"Michelle?" Tony said as Michelle put the phone up to her ear.
"Yeah?"
"I owe you big time for everything you've done for me"
She smiled "I'll put it on your tab"