Clara had somehow managed to fall asleep while marking papers. It had only been an hour, but she felt even more tired when she woke up again at seven a.m. The door to the bedrooms was still wide open and she wondered what Alex was doing. She didn't bother to go in and ask what was going on. Instead she went into the bathroom and turned the shower on, letting the water get warm before she stepped into it.

Moving to shut the door, Clara began to pull her pyjamas from her body, folding them neatly and placing them to the side. She moved into the shower, stepping underneath the water as it washed over her. Placing both hands on the wall, she bowed her head, the feeling of its warmth dripping down her face enough to make her remember how it had felt when the water had washed the blood off of her.

"You need to get in the shower," he whispered into her ear, trying to draw her out of her daze. "You need to get rid of the evidence."

Her eyes opened wide as her hands pushed through her hair, slicking it back from her head. Reaching for the shampoo, she began to rinse it through her hair before doing the same with the conditioner. She quickly washed herself before turning the shower off and reaching for the towel.

She wrapped it around her body before leaving the steamed up bathroom, going to her holdall and searching for some clothes. She grabbed hold of her skater black dress, slipping into it before she dragged a towel through her hair. Looking through the room, she found a hairdryer in the drawer by the dressing table, pulling it out and plugging it in.

"Clara."

His voice entered her ears before she could turn the device on. She sat on the stool at the table, her legs folded over each other. Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw Mahone enter, dressed in exactly the same suit he had been wearing the day before. His hair was still messily ruffled and his glasses perched on the edge of his nose.

"I brought you a coffee," he spoke, indeed motioning to a cup in his fingertips. "There's breakfast downstairs but I didn't know if you would want anything."

"I'm fine, thanks," Clara informed him, taking hold of the coffee from his fingertips.

Holding it in her hands, she sipped on it. It was already lukewarm.

"I know we have coffee in the room…but I kind of drank all mine last night," Alex told her. "I came to borrow some of yours but you were asleep so I just took it. I didn't want to wake you."

"Yeah, I just fell asleep," she said. "I don't know…it must have been a very boring essay I had been marking."

Alex chuckled at that and looked to the papers on her bed. He moved slowly towards them as she spun around on the stool to watch him. His hand hovered over some of them as he nodded down to one.

"Mind if I take a look."

"Knock yourself out," Clara shrugged and he picked one up, holding it in his fingertips and skimming it quickly.

His eyes narrowed as he used one finger to push his glasses onto his nose. She said nothing as she watched him read the paper intently before tossing it down onto the bed again, nodding once.

"Makes me glad I never went to college," he said.

"You never went to college?" she asked, her eyes widening as Mahone shook his head and she took a sip on her coffee. She looked at him over the rim of her mug before standing up and moving to the papers, her wet hair hanging down her back. "I thought that…with you being an FBI agent you might have needed to have gone to college."

"No," he said. "I was in the military for a while before joining Special Ops."

"And then you went into the FBI?" she asked of him and he nodded his head to her.

"That's about it," he said. "I guess I dropped lucky. All the kids coming up through the ranks have got college degrees galore, but it doesn't help them when it comes to the practicalities of the job…most of them couldn't find the obvious if it hit them in the face."

"I guess it must take time," Clara said, tidying her papers once she had finished a gulp of the coffee and placed the mug on the bedside table. "I mean, you can have degrees but it doesn't make you any cleverer…doesn't stop you from missing things you should never have missed."

Alex knew what tone she was using. He had heard it himself multiple times. Saying nothing, he watched her for a second before she perched on the end of the bed, letting the papers rest in her lap. Alex remained stood for a moment before she spoke.

"I should have known," she told him, looking up to him. "Theresa said she thought she was being followed. I told her she was being foolish…that she was imagining things…I mean, she lived in Chicago. There's hundreds of people walking behind her every day on the way to work."

"You could never have known what could have happened," Alex informed her. "Clara, even I could not have imagined what he would have done to your sister. He was a monster…and I have seen a lot of monsters."

"But she told me," Clara said, pointing to herself. "She told me and if I had told her to go to the police-"

"-They would not have done anything," Alex interrupted, daring to move and sit at the other end of the bed. Turning his body to the side, he watched her as she looked back to him. "Clara, the amount of people they deal with every day who claim they are being followed…stalked…I don't think it would have worked or changed anything."

Clara looked down to her lap, her fingers drumming against her thighs. "Then I should have done something…been there to stop him."

"He would have just killed you," Alex said. "Like he was going to…it was foolish of him to go after you, really."

"I was glad," Clara shrugged. "Anyway, I should finish getting ready. I have no lectures today but I have plenty of paperwork to catch up on if you want to go early?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded, standing up. "I'm heading down to the courthouse anyway. I have a meeting with Lincoln Burrow's son set up."

"The one who killed his mom and step-dad?" Clara wondered, also standing and wandering back to the dressing table with the hairdryer. "I heard his lawyers had been claiming that was a set up…just like Burrows."

"Yeah, well, they're lawyers," was the only explanation that Alex said and Clara nodded.

"True enough," she agreed with him. "I don't know. It does all seem a bit suspicious. I'm not one to believe in government conspiracy theories, but it is pretty weird. His dad always claimed he was innocent too."

"This is how they get you," Alex said. "Those lawyers can spin a story well enough. But believe me, there's no government conspiracy. I think I would know if there was."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I mean, you are the government, right?"

Alex chuckled. "Not fully," he said. "Anyway, I'll leave you to get ready. See you in a bit."

Clara watched Alex go before turning her hairdryer on and blasting it through her hair, letting her mind go and wander off onto the Fox River Eight.

…

Alex was in a foul mood as he drove back to the college campus that evening. He had slammed his hands against the wheel, cursing loudly at the fact that they had gotten away and managed to escape. He didn't think that they could get far. He had seen Lincoln get shot in the leg with a bullet. But still, they had gotten away.

Their failed attempt to rescue the LJ kid had only been foiled because Alex had the recording of LJ's conversation with his father who had posed as a lawyer. If he had not done that then he wondered if the kid would have escaped with his father. Alex had shown him no mercy, refusing to back down on the kid until he told him what he knew.

The worst part was that, deep down; Alex suspected that the kid had done nothing wrong. He suspected that he was telling the truth. But that didn't change anything. It changed nothing at all. He would still do everything in his power to protect his family, even if that meant incarcerating an innocent kid.

Turning the engine off, Mahone sat in the car and closed his eyes. He had parked outside of the Department of Journalism where Clara worked, telling her that he would be there that evening. She had agreed and slipped out the car, heading into the old fashioned building and up the steps, promising Alex she had no intention of leaving the department.

Checking his watch, he saw that it had struck six. He closed his eyes and leaned back, his head hitting the headrest behind him. He waited another ten minutes before leaving the car, locking it quickly and walking with haste to the department. There was a woman sat behind a desk in the entrance and she smiled over to Mahone as he entered.

"I'm looking for a Clara Reynolds," he informed her.

"Oh, Clara is in her office," the woman said, motioning down the corridor with doors leading off of them. A gaggle of students passed by, leaving the common room with folders in their hands. "She's with a visitor at the moment…"

"I see," Alex said.

"She shouldn't be too long," the woman said. "The building closes at six thirty so he should be gone in the next few minutes."

"I'll just wait outside then."

Alex walked back down the steps, looking around the campus. There was a green square in the centre, surrounded by buildings. There were some students lounged on the grass, their books open as they pretended to study. Alex went to the wall across from the department, leaning against it as he pulled his sunglasses from his pocket, protecting his eyes from the sun as it set behind the building he was watching.

The receptionist had been right. It was only another few moments before Clara emerged, but the man behind her was enough to make Mahone's blood run cold. He had seen him before. He had seen him and he knew exactly who he was. He was dressed in a smart suit, his hair cropped neatly on the top of his head. His eyes were gleaming as he smiled to Clara and she spoke to him about something.

Alex was about to move and demand to know what was going on, but the man placed a hand on Clara's arm and they shook hands before he turned the other way, leaving Clara to go to Alex who she had spotted by the wall.

"Katherine said someone had been asking after me," Clara told him, her satchel dangling against her hip. "Well, she said a guy in a suit had been here."

"Yeah," Mahone said. "Who was that meeting with?"

"Just some guy who was thinking about enrolling on the course. He said he works in PR but fancies a change of career…not unusual…there's a few mature students about."

"Right," Mahone said.

This was some kind of threat. He was proving that he knew. They knew where Clara worked. They were proving that he could get close to her and kill her if he needed to. Alex tried not to act too suspicious, but he was finding it difficult as his gaze lingered on the man's retreating figure. Clicking her fingers in front of his face, Clara watched as Alex's distracted gaze turned back to her.

"What?" he asked.

"You looked like you were on a different planet," she said. "Is everything okay?"

"Long day," was all he offered her. "I had Burrows and Scofield in my grasp but they got away."

"How?" Clara asked, her eyes wide as they began to walk back to the car, falling into step besides each other.

"They tried to break Burrow's son out of the courthouse by breaking into an elevator shaft. I had them, but they got away. The good thing is that I think Burrows got shot in the leg…wounded pretty badly…so they'll slip up."

"Do you think so?" Clara asked. "But what about all the others?"

"We're onto them," Alex said, not entirely sure if that was the truth. "Anyway, I need to be in first thing tomorrow. Tonight I need to keep looking into the case."

"Yeah," Clara said. "Listen, you know I have a car, right? I could always drive myself to and from work. I just feel as though you have bigger things to worry about other than ferrying me to and from work."

"Hmm," Alex said, unlocking the car as they came to it. "We'll see."

…

"You need to eat something."

Clara had been adamant that Alex pull over and pick up some food before they returned to the hotel. Alex looked over to her, his brow arching and she suspected he had a condescending stare from behind his sunglasses. She said nothing for a second as she shrugged and Alex sighed.

"Well if you don't need to eat something then I do," she told him. "I'm not exactly able to live on nothing since last night and I doubt you've eaten all day."

"I don't know if I'm hungry," Alex said.

"Well, just get something and eat it if you want, and don't bother if you don't want it," Clara shrugged. "I'm just talking about a burger, Alex. Come on."

"A burger?" Alex asked her.

"What?"

"Nothing," Alex shrugged to her. "I just never had you down for someone who ate fast food…I mean…you and your fiancé were always dining out at fancy restaurants whenever I tried to get hold of you."

Snorting, Clara dove into her satchel and pulled out her blue purse, dropping it into her lap. "Tom had expensive tastes. I did not."

"Right," Alex said. "So you want me to pull into the next fast food place we come across?"

"Yeah," Clara nodded and he rolled his eyes but agreed with her.

Pulling into the fast food joint, Alex climbed out and Clara did the same. She sniffed the smell and felt her stomach growl, wondering just how ridiculous she felt. She should not be thinking about food when she was on the run. She remained in front of Alex, pushing the door open before walking into the restaurant.

They ordered quickly and left, sitting in the car to eat instead of in the restaurant. Alex looked to the burger and Clara watched him for a moment.

"It might not look appetising, but it tastes amazing. Besides, I thought FBI agents lived off of fast food, coffee and donuts?"

"Cops have donuts," he informed her. "And I usually cook my own food, not a big lover of fast food. Coffee, on the other hand, is a necessity."

Alex took a bite of the burger as Clara ate a fry and he watched her for a moment. They ate in silence before bagging the food up. Clara hopped out the car and dropped the rubbish in the bin next to the restaurant. She jumped back into the car and they went back to the hotel, a comfortable silence between them. Alex parked the car up and climbed out of it before he spotted him.

It was the same man who had been at Clara's office earlier. Pulling his sunglasses from his eyes, he looked over to him as Clara slammed the door shut and moved around the front of the car. Her eyes looked to Alex and she followed his gaze, narrowing her eyes for a second as she wondered what he was looking at.

Alex moved quickly then, not thinking about anything other than getting away from the car park. He moved his hand to Clara's wrist, tugging her towards him and dragging her from the car park as she frowned.

"What is going on?" she asked from him. "Alex, what's gotten into you?"

"There's someone here," he whispered to her. "Someone is watching…"

"What?" Clara snapped. "Who?"

She tugged her wrist from his hand, but Alex was quick. His fingers grabbed hold of hers as he pulled her back, rushing into the hotel and towards the elevator. He moved a hand to Clara's back, pushing her forwards so that his body was covering hers from sight. His hand still held hers as she let her eyes dart around.

"Who was it?" Clara asked him. "You recognised him instantly, Alex."

"I've seen him before," Alex said. "Loitering outside the headquarters…and now he's here…"

"And you don't know who he is?"

"Funnily enough he never stays around long enough for me to ask him his name," Alex said, his tone sarcastic.

"You don't need to be an arsehole," she mumbled as the elevator came to the ground floor and Alex pushed her inside, his grip still on her hand as he pushed the buttons on the control panel. Clara said nothing as he finally dropped her hand from his, moving his fingers to work through his hair.

"This is crazy," Clara complained. "All of this is crazy."

"I know," Alex mumbled. "I know and I get that."

"Then just let me come clean!" Clara said, finally snapping as Alex shook his head. "I'll take the blame for it all…tell them you had nothing to do with it…I will leave you out of it…I just can't live like this. Going to jail has to be better than this."

"No," Alex shook his head as they came to their floor and he looked around, wondering what to say to her. "Clara…you cannot…do you understand."

He took her by the elbow, steering her to their room. He unlocked his and forced her inside, watching as she flung her satchel onto her bed and Alex locked the door, pressing his forehead against the wood as Clara folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm serious, Alex," she whispered to him, her voice low and pleading. "Just let me take the fall for it."

"That's not what they want, Clara," Alex responded, turning to look to her.

"No, what they want is the money Shales owed them, but I don't have that," she informed him. "I just don't see what they want with me…I mean…nothing suspicious has happened at work to me…nothing…there's only you who has told me about this. Why does no one else know?"

"Because no one else can now!" Alex snapped at her.

"You know what?" Clara said, moving forwards and coming face to face with him, eyeing him with content as she looked him up and down. "I think this is bullshit."

"Excuse me?" Alex demanded from her and she looked him square in the eye.

"I think something else is going on," she declared, her hands balling into fists. "I think there is something you are not telling me…Shales owed some people money? Great. They want me dead because of it? Bit far fetched."

"So you think I'm lying?" Alex wondered and she shook her head.

"I think there is something wrong," she nodded at him. "But I don't think you're telling me what it is. If it was people coming after me for Shales then I should be able to go to the cops and tell them…own up to what happened…"

"But we both know owning up would mean revealing me," Alex pointed to himself. "And that can't happen."

"I said I wouldn't-"

"-Then how would that explain the dead body in my back yard?" he snapped at her. "Just think about this, Clara. Just sit down and think about it. I have told you the truth. You know everything that I know."

"I think that's bullshit," Clara told him, searching his gaze. "And I think you know it is too. Whatever this is…you're scared of it. I know that. Christ, I can see that, Alex. Why would you be scared if someone wanted me dead?"

"Don't," Alex whispered, his voice low and dangerous as he looked at her. "Clara…don't…you don't understand."

"Then help me to understand," she pleaded with him. "Alex, help me understand what is happening."

"You can't know," Alex said. "Because if you knew then you would go…you'd go and I'd be dead…you'd be dead…this is the only way to keep you safe. After what happened…after what we went through…"

"You're scaring me, Alex," Clara said, stepping back from him. "What is wrong with you? What are you going on about?"

"I just need you to believe me."

"You keep saying that," Clara flapped her arms by her side. "I don't believe you. I hardly know you, Alex. We met…what…eight times? And one of those times was to put a man in the ground."

Alex inhaled sharply as Clara took hold of her satchel, slinging it onto her shoulder. "You might be okay living like this…living hiding away, but I cannot do it. I'm going to the police."

"They won't believe you," Alex informed her, his eyes wide as he began to sweat, tugging at his tie as he watched her. "They will believe nothing you say and cannot protect you."

"Better than being like this," Clara shrugged and tried to move past Alex, but he grabbed her by the arm, stopping her from going.

"Get off of me," she demanded from him. "I mean it, Alex. Get the hell off of me!"

"No," Alex said. "No…just listen…Clara…"

"I have and you're lying!" Clara snarled at him, trying to pull her arm from him but failing miserably. Alex grabbed hold of her other arm, moving her back into the room, his strength too much for her as he pressed her against the wall.

"Let go!" Clara yelled, her hands pushing at his chest. "Let me go!"

"I can't," Alex spoke and then he moved closer to her and she saw the look in his eye. She knew fear when she saw it and Alex's stare was full of it. Remaining still, she watched him bow his head, speaking in a mutter that she barely managed to comprehend. "I'll tell you the truth…everything…just don't do this."

Nodding, Clara agreed and Alex stood up to his full height again, steadying himself as he back away from her, letting her sag against the wall. Manoeuvring around the room, he sat on the end of the bed and watched her remain stood against the wall, peering hesitantly over to him.

"I'll tell you everything."

…

A/N: Thanks to anyone reading and do let me know what you think!