Second Chance
Summary: Tony/Michelle. All Tony wants is a second chance. A chance to make it up to her. A chance to say he was sorry.
"How much was unleashed?" Michelle asked, just above a whisper. Her thoughts were swirling in her head like a river's rapid. She could hardly even see straight she was so scared.
"Enough to kill everyone in the building," the officer said quietly.
She shook her head slowly. She had to tell Tony. She had to call him and apologize, just in case she never had the chance to in the future. She is in that building. She could be killed.
Just then was when she realized they had taken all of her possessions. Other than her clothes she had nothing else on her. She walked over to the officer whom she had just spoken to.
"Sir, would it be possible if I could just make a quick phone call to CTU - To give them an update?" Fear was clinging onto her voice. The officer shook his head solemnly.
"No one is allowed to use any type of device, or to have any contact with anyone outside of the hotel. I'm sorry ma'am, but it is permitted."
She clenched her teeth. "Look, you don't understand. I have to call my husband and tell him what's going on. He is head of CTU, Tony Almeida, and he has commanded me to give him updates!" She almost screamed with rage.
"Look, ma'am, I told you. It is not allowed. I'm sorry." With that he walked away.
Michelle buried her face in her hands, and sighed. She soon began to sob. In a closed basket a few feet away from her were everyone's possessions. One of the officers had set it down so it could be examined. All she had to do was steal her phone from it, and call Tony. She could sneak into the restroom or something.
Making sure no one was looking, Michelle crept over to the basket. Carefully, she weaved her phone through the basket, and ran off.
BATHROOM
Finally, Michelle had made it to the bathroom. Closing one of the stall doors, she sat down on the toilet. Dialing Tony's number was a hassle for her. Her hands were shaking so badly, she had no control. After about a minute, she had it right. All she had to do now was pray that he would answer.
"Almeida."
Her heart leaped. "T-Tony?? I-It's me."
"Michelle?!"
"Y-Yeah."
"You sound like crap."
Her face scrunched up, obviously hurt.
"Sweetie pie? Who's on the phone? Is that your wife again?" said a female voice from the background.
Michelle almost hurled. It's a good thing she was in the bathroom. Her hand instantly flew to her mouth. She was utterly speechless, but soon regained her composure and began to speak.
"Tony, I am only calling you on business matters. The virus is out. There is so much out it can kill everyone in the building. Everyone will most likely die unless they, for some reason, didn't get it. We have people being examined as we speak. Guaille, who definitely was infected, is in a holding room. Any further questions don't bother calling. I'm sure you have many important matters to take care of…Also, another reason not to call, your wife will most likely die within a few days and she doesn't want you to be a part of her final minutes." As soon as she heard Tony sigh, she hung up. He didn't deserve to be a part of her life right now.
She just sat there. Sat there, thinking, "Why does this have to happen to me?!" Before she could even realize it, she was crying. Her husband had been cheating on her while she was dying. Well first of all, why was she crying about death in the first place? She didn't even know if she had the virus or not! But even if that was so, something deep down inside of her told her she was going to die. Bad things happened to Michelle all the time. She got pregnant at 15, and has gotten two abortions and one miscarriage. Every one of her best friends have been killed, except for Tony, whom Michelle just wanted to kill now, and her job puts everyone she loves on the line every day. Not to mention the fact that Michelle' two living Grandparents both have cancer. Her whole life was a living mess in her eyes.
That's exactly why she has nothing to lose. So why cry over spilled milk when there wasn't much milk in the glass in the first place? The bitter metallic taste of blood snapped Michelle out of her dream. She had been biting her lip the whole time. Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the stall, and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. What she saw was a low-life and depressed woman whose husband would surely leave her for a younger and much prettier woman. As she started to close her eyes, her phone rang.
"Hello…?"
"Michelle, its Tony. Look, I just wanted to apologize if I sounded rude earlier. I didn't call back right away because I didn't know what to say! The woman you heard was a close friend of mine visiting from San Francisco."
Michelle rolled her eyes. "So close you guys were probably making out when I called?"
Tony sighed. "No, Michelle. Not that close. We were talking."
"Sure you were."
Tony was clenching his teeth. Trying not to cry was hard. His wife was most likely infected with the virus, and all he was doing was chatting with an old friend. He felt like a horrible husband, and he wouldn't blame Michelle for leaving him.
"Michelle, I thought you trusted me! You know that would never happen!"
"Tony, how I be so sure?! We were at each other's throats last time I saw you!"
"Michelle…" Tony warned.
"Well you know what, Tony? I don't give a damn! Hell, who cares if I am pregnant with your child? I don't ever want to see you again! I hate you! Go ahead and enjoy your god blessed life with that bitch of yours! Cause you know what? I don't care!" With tears streaming down her face she collapsed against the wall. She cried, and she cried, and she cried. She didn't mean anything she said, it just came out! She had no control. It was probably the hormones. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she began to rock, as her sobs got louder. She loved Tony more than anything in this world. But if she made it, she could live somewhere else; somewhere far, far away. Raising a child shouldn't be too hard, right?
Who was she kidding? She needed Tony's help. She just didn't want to admit it. Just then, breaking into her thoughts, her phone rang. This time, when Michelle picked it up, that female voice was on the other line…
"Michelle? This is Gabrielle. That girl you heard earlier? Listen, I just wanted to say sorry. I have you on mute so Tony can't hear you. I will talk to him, and you can hear for yourself. He doesn't know I dialed your number. I stole it from his desk. I don't want me getting in the way of your relationship. So please, just listen."
Michelle listened, and heard footsteps, and then the opening of a door.
"Back so soon?" she heard Tony ask.
"All I was doing was getting a drink…" she said.
Silence.
"Gab, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't ruin your stay in L.A."
"You didn't. But I am kind of lost here. Can you explain the whole situation?"
So Tony explained everything. Michelle was about to hang up when she heard something very interesting on the other line.
"I just…I just wish she would give me a second chance. I wish god would give me a second chance! I love her so much, and she is being ripped away from me! Just like that! I don't deserve any of this! I just wish this whole day would end…" Tony was crying. Michelle was too.
"So how did that conversation with her go?" Gabrielle asked, just above a whisper.
"She…she told me that she was p…pregnant with my child. I just. Losing her is bad enough! I feel like I want to die too! I want to die alongside my family, and be with them forever! I love this baby so much, and I just found out about him or her five minutes ago! I hate myself for being so cruel to her. I had no idea. I have treated her like crap ever since this day started! I don't deserve them. Michelle is too much of a gentle person for me. I just want her to be happy. I want her to find someone who isn't a rageaholic jerk like me…"
This comment snapped Michelle's heart like a thin, and dried up twig.
"Listen Gab, thanks for listening. I'm glad I have a friend like you."
"Hey, we both did this to each other. We were best friends from kindergarten to eighth grade! Ever since I moved I never did have a friend who listened as well as you did."
Michelle was astonished. They had been best friends for eight years! How could she be so stupid!?
"Tony, right now I haven't been completely honest with you. I stole Michelle's cell phone number and your cell phone from your desk when you weren't looking…I called her, and she has heard every single word you have said from the moment you got back. I did this for both of your own goods. Hopefully, you'll understand like always, and forgive her for whatever she did, and for whatever I did." She brought out the phone and handed it to Tony. He had a stunned expression on his face. She was smiling a little, and grabbed her stuff. Once she had waved, Gabrielle was out the door, and running down the stairs.
Shaky hands brought the phone up to Tony's ear.
"Hel-Hello…?"
Michelle was crying. "Oh god Tony I am so sorry! I am so sorry I caused you so much pain! I am so sorry!!" She started crying and sobbing uncontrollably. God, how she wished Tony was here.
"Oh god Michelle…" Tony whispered. "I don't care what you say I will be there in 10 minutes." And like that he hung up.
"DAMMIT!" Michelle screamed. She didn't want Tony to be harmed. That's the last thing on her list that she wanted.
Walking out of the bathroom, she saw an officer walk towards her.
"Are you Ms. Dessler?" he asked.
"Yes…why?" Michelle asked curiously. She had wiped away her tears, and had calmed down.
"Someone has requested you being the first to be tested. Follow me." Michelle didn't even have time to ask questions.
About five minutes later, the results had come back. Her heart stopped beating. She ran outside, hearing Tony call out her name. Officers ran after her, but it was pointless. She was a mile ahead.
About 10 feet away from each other, they both stopped, stared deep into each other's eyes, and smiled. After a few seconds they ran into each other's arms, and collapsed on the sidewalk. They cried, and held each other close; not wanting to let go.
Minutes of crying can seem like hours sometimes. This time being one of them. All they did was cry in each other's embrace.
"Tony, I – "
"Shh…." They shared a long a passionate kiss.
"Michelle, I am so sorry for any pain I have caused you. I don't want anything like this to get in our way again. I love you, and I am going to cherish this baby, and the life we have together. Please, could you ever forgive me?"
She laughed. "It's not you who should be apologizing! It's me. This whole thing started when I talked to Chapelle about you, and it got worse when I accused you of cheating on me. I know now that you would never do that to me, and I hope you can forgive me for not trusting you as well as I should have."
Tony smiled, and pulled her in for another passionate kiss. They were still on the wet ground, smiling, and just being in each other's arms.
"Tony?" Michelle asked.
They stood up, still holding each other.
"Yeah?"
"I got tested. I don't have the virus. It was only sent into Guille. I feel horrible about it. He had taken in most of it. There wasn't enough to go around the whole building." She looked down. A tear slid down her cheek. Tony lifted her chin up, and kissed it away.
"We'll get through this. We always do." They smiled. Another kiss sealed their fate, for they were the lucky ones. They were given that second chance, and you know what? They deserved it.
EPILOGUE
"Just one more push, Michelle! Come on!"
She screamed. And someone else screamed with her. Exactly ten minutes later, another scream was heard. Michelle, after a 24 hour delivery, had just given birth to twin girls.
As the newborns were resting in their mothers arms, Tony smiled to himself. He might not have gotten this perfect life. He might have lost the only thing he has ever loved. He could have lost everything. But not this time.
Quietly, trying not to wake anyone up, he read his daughters' nametags.
KATELYN GABRIELLE ALMEIDA and
KIMBERLY MELINDA ALMEIDA
His daughters, asleep in his wife's arms, were the most precious things in his life right now. He was willing to give up anything for them. After all, him and Michelle were given a second chance.
Yay! I finished! I hope you guys liked it!!
