Chapter 3

Back in Fox River, things weren't going too well. Michael, although sticking to his plan and the schedule, still hadn't found the time to talk to Elise. He would notice her sitting on the bleachers, looking out in the distance, or walking in GenPop, and talking to other guys. He wondered if she felt outcasted by him. He would think so… since she wouldn't go up to his cell, just in case he was "busy".

Elise, on the other hand, was happy as can be. Well, almost happy. She was winning the war between her and T-Bag, but she felt as though that the one person she wanted to be there to cheer her on had better things to do. She missed Michael, and she showed it too.

Out in the yard, Elise was talking to a few of her friends when she noticed Michael, Lincoln, Sucre, T-Bag, Westmoreland, and C-Note all heading into P.I. She walked up to the fence.

"Hey, Michael!"

Michael heard her voice and smiled. He turned to see Elise, her face contorted a bit, due to the sunlight, and sweat beads were getting into her eyes.

"Hey… What's the matter?"

"Nothing… What are you guys doing?"

"Heading into P.I. We're working in the storage room, for Bellick. We gotta get going, Elise. Talk to you later." Lincoln answered.

"Oh…Well, I'll see you later." Elise walked off and went by a few black inmates who were making up a rap song.

Michael watched her walk off and looked at Lincoln. As they got to the storage room, Michael held Lincoln back.

"I want her to come with us."

"What?"

"I want Elise to come with us."

"Are you nuts? We have too many people as it is."

"I know, but I don't want to leave her behind like I did 16 years ago."

Lincoln looked at his brother, confused.

"She was living with me for about 3 years, and then, I left. Before I let her live with me, she had been partying a lot, and doing drugs. After being with me and me being her rock for awhile, she sobered up. But, when I left, I heard that she had gotten back to her old roots. I don't want her to do that again."

Lincoln nodded and looked at him.

"Did you also hear that she has a daughter?"

Michael's eyes widened at this news.

"Yeah. Her daughter is LJ's age and she goes to school with him. Apparently, Elise was raped, but decided to keep the baby, who is now Olivia."

Michael had tears in his eyes as he looked over to where Elise was. Why didn't he stay? Why didn't he just take her with him? He didn't know. He was now in more shame than ever.

"Michael, for the fact that she has a daughter, I'll let her in, ok?"

Michael stopped looking at Elise and looked at his brother, and smiled, full of joy.

"Thanks, Linc."

Michael and Lincoln went into the storage room and started to work.

Later that day, Michael and Sucre walked to their cell. Michael had been talking to Sucre about his and Elise's past and the times that they had shared together.

"I always thought that you were romantically involved with her, but I guess not, huh?"

Michael smiled, but it quickly faded when he heard a commotion come from the first floor.

He and Sucre went over to the balcony and saw that two inmates, one armed with shank and the other looking scared, were circling each other. The first one, a tall black inmate, lunged at the other, a slightly shorter and younger white inmate, almost stabbing him in the stomach, but the white inmate blocked it with his arm. The black inmate then lunged at the white inmate again, until Elise came in and separated them. Neither of the two inmates walked forward while she stood in between them. Elise looked at the black inmate and she looked as unpleasant as ever.

"Get back to your cell, Jones! This was a foolish thing that you've started!"

Jones looked at Elise, and like a child being disciplined by their mother, he turned around and walked to his cell, not saying a word.

Elise then walked over to the young kid, who was holding his bloody arm.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

She ripped her shirt, so that she had a makeshift bandage, and carefully took the young man's arm. He winced as she took it.

"Are you new?"

"Yeah." He kept looking down.

"What is your name?"

"Daniel."

Elise looked at him as she wrapped his bloody arm. She then took her finger and lifted up his chin, so that he was looking at her.

"You don't need to be worried about me. I'm Elise."

"Hi."

"How about we go to the infirmary to get that checked and stitched, and then, we can talk another walk." She held out her hand for him to take it.

Daniel nodded and took her hand. Michael noticed this and notice that it was close to what T-Bag would do to new prisoners. Except for taking his hand, the new fish would take his pocket. Hopefully, this new fish wouldn't have to do what he would to do with T-Bag. Anyway, this was Elise.