Clara sat on the bed as Alex paced at the bottom of it, on the phone to Michael Scofield. They had seen the news of Sara being arrested for the murder of Christina Scofield, but they both knew what had happened. Everyone who had been there knew what had happened. They knew who Christina Scofield was and what she had planned. But the tape looked exactly like Sara had shot her out of cold blood. The tape did not favour for Sara.
Alex raked a hand through his hair, a sense of anxiousness taking hold of him. He didn't know what he could do. He had no idea what they could do to help, but they had been involved in that business with the Company together. Each one of them had been caught up in the conspiracy and made it out with their lives. In some circumstances, they had made it out with more. That was certainly true in Clara and Alex's case and Michael and Sara's.
"What did he say?" Clara asked once Alex had hung up and taken a seat on the side of the bed next to her, his hand moving to hold onto hers as she toyed with his fingers.
"She's been taken to a jail and he can't see her without being watched. They know Michael and his history…what he's done…" Alex said. "They don't trust him."
"They shouldn't," Clara said. "But what about a lawyer? Do they need help finding one?"
"Michael said they have a lawyer," Alex responded.
"So what…she…Sara can't just rot in some cell for something she didn't do," Clara said and held a hand up to stop Alex as he opened his mouth to contradict her. "Okay, yes, she did shoot Christina, but she didn't do it out of cold blood. She did it because it was self defence."
"The tape has been doctored," Alex said to her and he wondered if she was going to piece two and two together. She was clever enough. She was an investigative journalist after all. "She's been set up, Clara, and there is no evidence that Christina was involved with the Company."
"He…it's him, isn't it?" Clara checked with Alex as she looked down to the duvet and thought of Sara trapped in some prison. Sara was pregnant, for goodness sake. She was innocent in all of this. "It's my uncle."
"I don't know if he did it explicitly," Alex responded, "but there were people who didn't like the fact that we got out and he ended up in a cell. People are loyal to him."
"Jesus Christ," she complained, raking a hand through her hair and tossing her head back as Alex gave her fingers a firm squeeze, hoping that he could calm her somehow. He knew that Clara had grown fond of Sara. She had taken a bullet for her to protect her. The two of them still spoke occasionally after everything that had happened.
"Clara, there is nothing we can do."
"Yes, there is," she replied and looked Alex in the eye and he sighed, but nodded, knowing what she was going to do. "I can go and see him. I can go and try to talk to him."
"Do you think that he will listen?" Alex asked her.
"I don't know," she responded, flapping her arms by her side as she glowered over to him, not entirely caring for his pessimistic attitude at that moment in time. "Alex, I don't know, but I'm not going to sit here while she is in there. She is our friend. She helped us and it is my uncle who is responsible for all of this…the man who made everything turn to shit in our lives."
"The man who doesn't care," Alex responded to her. "Look at what he did to you, Clara. He had someone torture you."
"I remember that well, Alex," she responded to him and he felt himself squirm slightly under her intense glare. "I'm going to go and see him and try to make him see sense…whoever did this to Sara…he can maybe call them off. Whether he will or not, I don't know, but I am not sitting here."
"So you're going out to Miami?" Alex checked with her.
"What other choice do I have?" she asked him. "I'll see if Lisa will come with me."
"I'm coming," Alex informed her. "It's not like I have anything to do here and I guess you're right. We should try whatever we can, even if it doesn't work. It's better than sitting around."
"I'm going to give Lisa a call," she said and moved from the bed, reaching for the phone from her bedside table as she patted Alex on the forearm. He caught her by the wrist before she could walk away from him. Standing up, he pulled her back to him and bent down to kiss her chastely, trying to put her at ease. He knew it would take more than that, but he needed to try.
"We'll help," Alex promised her. "Okay?"
"I know," Clara said and moved to her tiptoes again and pecked him on the lips once more.
Alex heard her speak to Lisa as she walked into the study. Moving out to the hallway, he looked in and saw her curled up in the big chair by the bookcase, talking to Lisa and explaining everything that had happened. Her gaze was on the street outside as Alex felt his cell begin to vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he frowned as he looked down at the caller ID.
"Alex Mahone," he answered, standing by the top of the staircase.
"It's me, Agent Sullins," the voice on the other end spoke. "Are you free tomorrow morning, Alex? We want to invite you to interview."
Alex almost gasped for breath as he closed his eyes and thought about going back to work. He fell over himself to say yes, but he didn't know the ulterior motive behind the call. He honestly thought that he had a chance of going back to the job he loved.
….
Clara didn't want to rain on Alex's parade when he told her the news, but a part of her was suspicious. He had a phone call on the same day that they found out Sara Tancredi was in prison. Did he not see the parallels? She had held her tongue and waited for him in the car. Their flight left later on in the afternoon and Lisa was meeting them in Miami, having taken an earlier flight out. She had promised to visit her father and try to help, but she was with Alex. She didn't know how useful he would be.
Sitting in the interview room, Alex tried not to fidget as he thought about Clara. She was waiting for him outside. If he got this job back then he would be happy, but it wasn't the time to be happy. It was wrong. Sitting quietly, Alex looked at the panel in front of him, his tie suffocating him after having not worn one for months. He listened on as Lang spoke in his defence, her words quite moving.
"I have worked cases under 43 agents during my 16 years in the Bureau. Alexander Mahone is the smartest, bravest and most honourable man I have had the pleasure of serving with."
"Wow," Sullins said at her testimony as Alex bit down on his tongue. "As one of those 43 agents, I can't help but feel a bit offended because obviously I am not as honoured as the drug-addicted murderer who sleeps with victim's siblings."
Alex's hands clenched together and he felt his forehead throbbing. Why did he think this would be a good idea? He should have known that Sullins would never let him come back and have his job back. He should have seen it coming.
Lang frowned at hearing him. "Alex has been clean and sober for four months and has been exonerated for all crimes associated with the Company. He didn't start dating Clara Reynolds until after her case was closed and the two of them are still together now."
"That exoneration doesn't include Oscar Shales…something that him and Ms Reynolds would know about considering they shot him and buried his body under a birdbath."
"That is just an allegation," Lang snapped back.
"Let's move on, shall we?" Sullins asked and Alex knew that he was enjoying this too much. He wanted to wipe that smirk from Sullins face. He could imagine that Clara would want to do the same. He could almost picture her growling lowly and coming up with some witty remark. "All those in favour of reinstating Alexander Mahone as special agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
Only Lang said yes.
"Alright," Alex said, clearly having had enough. "I get it," Alex said and began to move to his feet. "Always a pleasure."
"But this ruling can be revisited, Alex, if you can demonstrate just how committed you are to a life of service," Sullins said. "As you may have heard, Sara Tancredi has recently been arrested. We have concerns that Michael Scofield might go back to his old ways."
Alex chuckled then, looking down and then back to Sullins. "So this is why I am here?"
"Well, obviously, if Scofield were able to pull off this plot then the Bureau would be embarrassed, so if we had someone to get us information then that would be something to us. We have an agent in Miami who can have contact with you."
"You're something else," Alex said and Sullins tossed something on the table.
Alex looked down to it. It was his badge.
"We both know how bad you want that badge, Alex," Sullins declared and Alex chewed down on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head, but he relented. Looking to Sullins, he nodded once.
"Fine," was all he said and he turned and walked away.
Leaving the interview room, Alex left the building, stalking the familiar hallways. He came outside and found Clara stood by the car. She was holding onto a cup of coffee in one hand, her other hand holding another cup. She handed it to him as he approached, loosening his tie and raking a hand through his hair.
"And?" he asked her.
"And I shouldn't have been so stupid," Alex said and took a sip of the coffee as he felt Clara move to take hold of one of his hands. "Sullins will let me back in if I prove myself."
"Spying on Michael?" Clara checked and Alex furrowed a brow.
"How did you know that?"
She shrugged. "It seemed too coincidental for you to have an interview the day after Sara had been arrested," she admitted to him.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't want to rain on your parade," she replied, squeezing his fingers. "I thought that maybe you had thought on that, but I also know that I am a pessimist and a part of me hoped that…well…it would work out for you."
Alex nodded at hearing her and she kissed him on the cheek.
"I told him that I would do it," Alex admitted to her and her eyes widened as she watched him, wondering if he was joking with her or if he was being serious. She said nothing as she let him continue speaking. "I said that I would go and spy on Michael."
"I hope this is some kind of joke," she snapped.
"No," he replied. "Well, yes," he said again. "Clara, I'm not going to betray them. I want that job back so bad. I want it desperately, but not that desperately…not to face your wrath anyway," he added on, joking with her as he saw her lips quirk upwards and her eyes glance downwards. He moved to take hold of her waist and kissed her forehead. "It's better to paly both sides."
"I guess so," Clara said. "We should get going."
"We're off," he said and unlocked the car, climbing into the driver's side and placing his cup of coffee in the cup holder as he looked back to the building and wondered if he would ever walk in there again.
….
Looking onto the marina, Clara sighed as they stood there outside of the apartment block. Michael had set up base in a penthouse near the one that they had been in when they had been working for the Company. The view was still spectacular, but Clara had never denied that. She had always loved the view. Looking out onto it as Alex grabbed their bags from the cab, she startled when she felt him wrap his arm around her waist.
"You okay?"
"It's just weird being back here," Clara admitted to him and he nodded, bending down and kissing her quickly. "After everything that happened I didn't think we would be here."
"Nor did I," Alex retorted. "Come on, let's go inside."
"Coming," Clara responded in a gentle voice, taking hold of his hand as he carried the duffle bag.
Taking the elevator up to the top, they looked at the main door. Clara stepped forwards first, knocking and receiving no answer. It was another moment before the door opened and Lincoln was there. Clara beamed, despite everything as Lincoln also smiled, a genuine rare smile and not his usual grimace.
"Clara," he spoke as she wrapped her arms around him and then saw Sucre stood behind him. "Alex," Lincoln said as Sucre shook Alex's hand and then Lincoln's, Clara moving to hug Sucre. "What are you two doing here?"
"We've come to help," Clara said as Lincoln let them in and Alex dropped their bag on the floor. She pulled her satchel from over her shoulder and dropped it onto the ground.
"Clara," Michael suddenly appeared and she smiled at him again, embracing him as he nodded to Alex. "Alex."
"Look, we have information," Alex said as Clara stepped back from Michael and Lincoln and Sucre sat down on the sofa. She remained stood in between Michael and Alex. "They're watching you."
"I know, a fed has been tailing us," Lincoln spoke.
"Not just a fed," Alex responded, "the entire department have their eye on you all."
Michael frowned. "That sounds like inside information, Alex. What did you do, cut a deal with them?"
"Hey!" Clara snapped at Michael and he had the good will to look slightly guilty as Alex let out a small laugh. "Michael, that's not fair. Come on."
"They offered me my old job if I came down here to spy on you," Alex admitted to them. "Now, the Fed you are talking about is called Wheatley. He is running the entire operation down here so if you are really going to do this then I figured you could use an inside man. I want to help. I can help if you need me."
"And I can help," Clara said, "well, I am going to try."
"I've been to see him," Michael said to her. "He's not going to help."
"Lisa is here too. We're going to see him tomorrow morning. It might not work, but…Lisa…she might be able to get through to him."
"Thank you," Michael said, despite knowing nothing would happen. "Listen, there is a spare room upstairs and down the hall. Why don't you go and put your stuff there and then we can talk. I have a plan and if you want to help then…well…you need to know."
"Got it, thanks," Clara said as Alex grabbed their bag and they went to freshen up.
Closing the door behind him, he instantly felt Clara there, arms wrapping around his waist and holding onto him. Her cheek pressed against his shoulder as Alex arched his brow.
"You okay?" he asked her.
"Fine," she said, "I just didn't appreciate the way Michael spoke to you. You…you're not that man…and I hate it when people doubt you…it's not fair."
"Well, I've gotten used to it," Alex said. "Michael and I have a history. You don't forget that."
"Still," Clara mumbled, "it wasn't nice."
"Glad I have you fighting my corner."
"Always," she said to him and kissed him before pulling back and wondering what might happen in the coming days.
…..
A/N: Do let me know what you think!