To everyone who has reviewed and asked for more, thanks! I apologize it has taken me so long to write, my computer crashed and I needed to get it fixed. But I promise the end is coming soon.

And again, I don't own 24 or any of the characters though I wish I owned Tony and Michelle!

Chapter 13, some minor details

"How is she?" Tony asked the doctor quietly as he came back into the room.

"She'll be fine. Just a little too much stress," the doctor added pointedly.

"I know. I asked my parents to leave."

"Have they always treated her like that?"

Embarrassed, Tony nodded and didn't make eye contact. "Pop's not so much but mamma-," he let his voice trail off.

"Well, just try to keep them away from her for awhile."

"I'll do that." Tony sat down and held her hand. "She'll be O.K. though, right?"

The doctor chuckled. "I take it you two are close?"

"She used to be my wife." The doctor raised his brow at that but Tony waived him off. "It's a long story."

At that moment, Jack came in along with Bill and Hammond.

"How is she?" this from Bill.

"She'll be sleeping for awhile," the doctor said as he headed out.

"You O.K.?" Jack asked.

"Being as I had to throw my parents out, what do you think?"

"They're still here," Hammond supplied.

"What!" Tony thundered—ready to go out and make some noise.

"Your mom's crying, saying over and over how sorry she is," Jack said.

"You think she means it?"

Jack shrugged. "It's possible. Then again…," he let his voice fade. Everyone knew how she had treated Michelle when Tony wasn't around. It was bad enough when he was but when he wasn't, well, all hell had a tendency of breaking loose. Michelle normally defended herself rather well and tried not to let it show that it bothered here. However, given the obvious—she was in love with Tony and wanted his parents' support and approval—it was hard on her and everyone knew it.

"O.K.," Tony sighed. "I'll see if I can get them to leave without a fuss." He walked out and saw his parents—they looked so pathetic, both of them crying and holding onto each other. If it had been anyone else, then Tony might have felt sorry for them yet he knew that they had brought this upon themselves.

He took a breath and approached them. "How is she?" this from his dad.

"She'll be O.K. What are you guys still doing here?"

"We wanted to know if Michelle was O.K."

"She'll be fine." Tony crossed his arms. "No thanks to you guys."

"Antonio-," his mother tried.

"Don't mamma. I really don't want to hear it right now. Michelle doesn't need this right now."

"We'd like to apologize," his dad said.

"Apologize?" Tony stared at both of them incredulously. "Not now. Michelle doesn't have the strength right now. Call me tomorrow and we'll have some dinner or something next week. But not now."

Tony tuned and went back inside. "O.K. Brian, can we start debriefing now? I'd like to get mine out of the way before Michelle wakes up."

"If you're sure-"

"It needs to get done and the less we have to bother Michelle, the better. I want to take her home as soon as she's able. She'll need some time off," he added as an afterthought.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you want some time off?"

Tony stared at them. "I don't work for CTU anymore, remember?"

The three men exchanged glances. "I showed them file Michelle was working on," Jack admitted.

Hammond had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry Tony. We should have looked at all the possibilities before the trial."

Tony didn't know what to say.