Title: Hot Tempered Is Only The Beginning

Rating: T

Summary: Pretending to be a boy is only the half of what Lara Haven aka Jack has to put up with.

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"What happened here?" Bellick growled, two CO's standing just behind him, looking not so amused. My hair was soaked, and my blue uniform was uncomfortably tight. Seriously, couldn't Fish have given us a little warning before he want bashing at the pipe!

"We should have turned off the water before we started," Michael stated.

"Should've huh." Bellick sneers.

"It's not that big a deal -- we can fix it in the morning. I don't think mold should be a problem before then." I glance over sharply at Fish just as C-Note hisses,

"Scofield shut up man!"

"No you shut up!" Bellick cut C-note off. "What are you talking about?"

"You get drywall and insulation soaked like this, you run the risk of stachybotrys mold." An unsure look sweept across Bellick's face and C-Note tried to downplay the whole thing.

"Tell ya what, you can stay here and dry out these walls until there isn't a molecule of water left." We all groaned collectively, inside I was laughing.

"Don't catch a sniffle." Bellick gloated before turning and leaving with the two CO's behind him. The door slammed shut and a grin turned up the corner of my lips. I clapped my hand on Michael's back as Westmoreland shook his hand.

"You can really sing it Fish!"

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The shed was silent, every one of us wondering about the outside. I risked a glance over at Michael who kept bumping his head against the cement wall.

"It's 8:15 Fish." Sucre rather nervously interrupted. Michael paused for a moment and glanced at his watch.

I still hadn't worked out where Lincoln was, most I could get was he was in the SHU, I wasn't sure why or how he was going to meet us, all I knew was he wasn't here.

"Psst, T-Bag" I hissed, not wanting to break the heavy silence. "Where's Linc?" T-Bag's lips twitched in one of his smirks as he turned and eyed my still drying uniform. I was still all bound down so he didn't have much to look at.

"Dontcha know Lara? The SHU." I frowned and ran a hand through my still wet hair – bad idea; it ended up standing straight up.

"Ya but why?" T-Bag chuckled at my hedgehog appearance, and I'll shamefully admit I didn't realize what was happening right away.

"Took out a badge to buy us more time." My eyebrows shot up in surprise, why would he do that! I mean I know why but…surely there was a better way!

"Why didn't he just lie?" I asked, feeling very much the naive little child. T-Bag shrugged then lowered his voice slightly.

"I gots a sinking feeling that Linc ain't as bright as Pretty over there." I liked Linc The Sinc, but I couldn't help a grin. Feeling bad I decided to speak up.

"Ya, nice guy though." Ok so it was a bit lame but that was the best thing I could think of.

Westmoreland leaned forward slightly so he could get a look at me – I was still mad at him and was putting the 'silent treatment' into action.

"Do you mean that?" He asked me. I wasn't sure why exactly, but he asked and I glared in return. I wouldn't respond, I would just turn my head and give him the cold shoulder…I was never very good at that though.

"Course I do, I stick up for my friends unlike some people." I growled back, crossing my arms across my chest. Westmoreland frowned and T-Bag let out a low whistle, sinking down slightly so he wouldn't be in the way in case I lost my temper.

"What are you talking about?" Westmoreland asked, looking chastised. I rolled my green eyes and snarled back,

"You know what I mean Charlie-" Charlie was what I called him; Charles was much too formal for my liking. "My back is still a little sore from the knife that you drove in." He actually had the nerve to look shocked. Was he so oblivious to the way he had left me open like that? Didn't he notice my weak state when C-Note laid out the truth? Couldn't he have said something? Done something!

"Lara what the hell are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" I cried, jumping to my feet. To my horror I felt tears brimming in my eyes, threatening to spill over, and this burning sensation in my throat. I clenched my hands into fists, digging my nails into the palm of my hand as I desperately tried not to cry. I know I was over-reacting, really there was nothing that Charlie could have done, but he had been a friend and if our positions had been switched I would have stood up for him – of course I never really learned that not everyone is like me, and I am certainly not perfect.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me now and since the two were in my line of sight; I could see the look of surprise on T-Bag's and Westmoreland's face as they caught sight of my watery green eyes.

It was more a build of emotions that led to this moment, I needed a scapegoat, I'd already vented on C-Note who was like some sort of nemesis and didn't count. I had apologized to Sucre, he hadn't deserved it, but I still had bottled up emotions. I felt like such a wuss, some crybaby who couldn't take things and the more I thought on that the harder I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream and throw things, to smash walls and just ransack everything.

What made it all the worse was that Fish was in such a worse position than me. He had his brother to worry about, if he didn't do this properly then Linc was a goner and here was me, crying like a baby cause…Ah hell I don't even know why anymore!

I sniffed, my delicate nose turning red from the effort of not crying. Slowly I sat back down, folding my arms around myself as if for some sort of protection. Poor Westmoreland didn't really know what he had done; I think he was honestly confused. But I couldn't help myself, my emotions were running away from me and I couldn't control them anymore.

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I didn't cry, no tears spilled down my cheeks, but the effort to stop them left me shaking as silence once again descended.

T-Bag slung an arm around my small shoulders, and pulled me into him. I stiffened instantly, instincts screaming at me to pull away – this was a man that I did not want to get to close to. But I ignored my instincts and rested my head on his shoulder. His body was warm and I was cold, cold and tired – told you prison can do things to a girl.

T-Bag turned his head toward me and I stiffened again, I was enjoying the being partially held feeling – made me feel wanted – but I knew that I didn't want anything more than that.

"Are ya afraid Shortstuff?" Those same words that had been spoken what felt like ages ago. It caused a watery smile to tug at my lips.

"I'm not afraid of anything T-Bag." I whispered boldly, of course I was lying through my teeth. After a thought I added with a small chuckle, "And stop calling me Shortstuff, I'm not short…I'm just petite." This caused him to chuckle, and he squeezed my shoulders.

"Ya such a liar Lara."

"I know." We remained silent after that, just like everyone else. Part of me was screaming at myself, what was I doing? Westmoreland was a good friend, I should talk to him, but here I was…

Stubbornly I pushed the scolding thoughts away, I didn't want to think on that, I didn't want to think. So I concentrated on the opposite end of the room and sighed softly. Just a little while longer, a little while longer and then we'd all be free.

C-Note shifted and stood up, walking over to Michael.

"It's time Fish, let's go."