Hello everybody! I decided to put up another chapter quickly as a late Christmas gift (or an early Hannukuh one...)!
I was planning on doing a "sadder" piece for this chapter, but it's still the holidays, and this one is more fun!
I loved all the reviews from last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one!
It takes place during season 2, right after Michelle and Mason's fateful talk! Please review and enjoy!
S

"Seal Our Fate" by Gloria Estefan is featured in this chapter
(yes, I know I use alot of "these" types of songs, but it's my "feel good" music, and always nice to listen to... plus the lyrics fit perfectly!)

Michelle walked down the steps from George Mason's office deep in thought. Her shoes clicked on the cold metal stairs and her hand brushed over the handrail. As always, her first instinct was to look toward Tony's station. He was there bent over, furiously scribbling something on a piece of paper, occasionally glancing at the computer screen in front of him. She scolded herself when she smiled, quickly hiding it and slyly looking around to see if anyone had noticed her. She couldn't help it, she was just happy to know that he was there. She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the decision she felt she had to make. George Mason had made her think twice. Should she tell Tony how she felt about him?

A part of her job is understanding and accepting that any day might be their last, anything can happen. Michelle knew as well as anyone that there was a chance that she might not survive the threat, Tony might not either. A pounding thump in her chest caused her to pause at the bottom step of the sleek staircase leading to the director's office. She thought she had lost Tony when the bomb at CTU had gone off, and the only thing she thought in that terrifying moment was that she never told him how she felt.

They say it's never too late
And, though that might be the case sometimes
The sad truth of it is
Opportunity won't knock twice
You can put off 'til tomorrow
But tomorrow might never come
Got to think about the future
'Cause today soon will be long gone

She thought back to her conversation with Mason. Today was the first time she had seen Mason open up, speak somewhat kindly, it was ironic that he was going to die now of all times. Michelle felt sorry for him, and what he had told her still resounded in her head as she seated herself at her work station.


Where will you be a few years down the line?
Will it be everything you've dreamed of?
It's always harder to do what is right
Sometimes one bad decision can mess up your life


Mason almost didn't deserve this. He gave up his dream and made people miserable. Michelle would never want this to happen to her. She knew the consequences of her choices, at CTU and in her practically non-existent personal life- but that was her punishment for her dedication. One mistake and that could be it, Michelle thought sadly. If there was ever one mistake Michelle didn't want to make, it would be regretting telling- or not telling Tony how much she cared for him.

We seal our fate with the choices we make
Don't give a second thought to the chances we take
Could come up anytime; better be wide awake
'Cause we seal our fate with the choices we make

Her mind strayed back to George Mason as Michelle worked. Was not doing what he loved what made him a bitter person? Yes. She didn't want to end up like that- always wishing she had told Tony how she felt. But would that be a bad idea? Mason did tell her to find something she loved, and to do it- that everything else is just background noise.

But what if she was wrong about the kind of person Tony was…- no that was impossible, and a lame excuse. They had worked too closely together for so long, Michelle could feel them click into each other, she could physically sense their minds fitting together, and they produced the best results. That wasn't the problem: what if she told Tony how she felt and it wasn't reciprocated? That could destroy her.

Surely, you say
It's not as bad as you make it sound
If we make a mistake
Can we always turn it back around?

At her computer, Michelle took a deep breath, attempting to center herself in the midst of the turmoil going through her mind. She glanced up, absentmindedly. There he was, a few work stations away. She never thought this would happen to her. He was talking to an analyst and making small hand movements. All the noise in the room seemed to fade away in to a buzz in the background as her eyes focused in on him. She saw each movement his lips made, and somewhere, deep down, she knew she wanted to kiss those lips. She could vaguely hear what he was saying to the other person, but her brain wasn't processing it. All she saw was Tony.


Before you know it, it's gotten way out of hand
In ways that you had never dreamed of
Never worth the price you pay in the end
Instead of being ahead, you're starting over again


Michelle snapped out of her trance just before Tony looked her way. Their eyes brushed past each other for a split second, and Michelle could swear she almost saw the beginning of a smile flicker across his face, almost illuminating his eyes, almost turning up the corner of his lips. She cared for him. Deeply. With a passion, her crush had gone out of control, and she liked him more each passing day.

But it would be frowned upon- a relationship with the boss, especially in a place like CTU. But it was Tony. Since she had started working there, Tony was the person she could talk to, collaborate with, never with any problems. He wanted to be with him, hug him, kiss him, and always be there for him- in and outside of CTU. She sighed. She needed to make a decision. This could be it. Now or never…

We seal our fate with the choices we make
Don't give a second thought to the chances we take
Could come up anytime; better be wide awake
'Cause we seal our fate with the choices we make

Michelle saw Tony making his way to her workstation. She knew this was it. She was nervous, and worried, and scared, but this is what she had to do. As Tony sat on the edge of her desk, Michelle shot a fleeting look in the general direction of Mason's office. She was looking for support for what she was about to do next: she had found something she loved, she was going to go for it. As she shyly raised her eyes to meet Tony's, the rest of CTU's sounds drifted away, fading into inaudible murmur's as she opened her mouth to speak, to take her chance…

Please review with comments or criticism, and Happy Holidays and New Year!