So, a friend and I were re-watching season 2 of 24 and started playing the what-if game. I am a huge Reiko Aylesworth fan so by nature, a fan of Michelle and decided that she could be a bad ass. So what follows is up to the moment of episode 12 of season 2 where Tony asks Michelle what she wants from him and everything else after that is also thrown out of the window. Also, I made up the name of the drug that will come up later on in subsequent chapters, but they did something similar with a drug and I'm not in the medical field, so I honestly have no idea it does. But for the sake of the reality of my story and my fantasy world with which this fan fiction exists, the drug exists and does what I say it does (It will make sense, I promise).

This is my first fan fiction in quite some time so please be kind!

To another end, I do not own 24 or any of its characters.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

"What do you want from me Michelle?"

"To tell me that everything is going to be OK. That I didn't ruin whatever is between us before it even started by trusting my instincts. By going to Jack even though I know the history between you with Nina. To tell me that you know that I'm not Nina, that I would never betray this country, that I would never betray you. To kiss me and never let me go." But she couldn't say any of that. So, she opened her mouth just as the phone rang.

"Almeida."

"Is Michele still with you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"The President wants to speak with her."

"You're kidding. Did he say why?"

"No, just that it was urgent."

Michelle watched as Tony handed her the phone. "The President wants to speak with you."

Her brow burrowed in confusion. "Me? Why?"

"I have no idea."

Michelle took the phone and straightened a bit as she answered. "Dessler."

"Hold for the President."

"Ms. Dessler."

"Mr. President."

"I have some news for you that you may want to sit down for."

"Mr. President?"

"I don't have all the details but in case he tries to contact you, I wanted, particularly for everything that you have done and been through for this country—to give you a heads up."

"If who tries to contact me?"

"Michael."

"Michael who?"

"The Michael you and your Interpol team thought was dead."

"Thought?"

Tony watched, his anger at Michelle quickly moving to worry as shock drained her face and she started to lose her balance a little.

"It appears that someone in the government thought he would be useful alive. That his intelligence and skill outweighed the threat since he was in custody."

"But I was there. I watched them put the needle in his arm. I watched him die."

"They switched him out with someone else last minute. I found out about it because he hit your former team while they were on an unrelated mission in Chechnya about a half hour ago. Details are still forth coming and I'm sorry to say, we don't know if there are any survivors."

"I understand. I need to-"

"I have Secret Service meeting your family now."

"Mr. President with everything going on today I can't ask you to—"

"It's done. And if you don't think that you can handle being at CTU then I will make sure that no one give you a hard time or thinks anything less for it."

Tony watched, amazed, as tears threatened Michelle's eyes then something seemed to click in Michelle's brain and whatever shock the President had just given her—she pushed it out.

"I'll be fin sir. Though if I may? I made a request from Stephen a couple months ago. If you look in my file, you should see it. I could really use that request being authorized."

"I'm sure you could. Is he available?"

"Just a minute."

Michelle handed the phone back to Tony who took it while she went and sat down on the opposite side of the desk.

"Mr. President, this is Tony Almeida."

"Tony, may I call you Tony?"

"Yes sir."

"You are one lucky man."

"Excuse me sir?"

"Ms. Dessler—how long have you been seeing each other?"

Tony's eyes flew to Michelle who was doing some breathing exercises with her eyes closed. "I'm not—that is—uhm—"

The President laughed. "Then you are a lucky man—if my reasoning is correct. You do have feelings for her?"

"I'm sorry Mr. President but I'm failing to see what this has to do with what's going on today."

"She made a request 3 months ago to have permission to tell you the truth about her past. Now, there is only one reason I can think of that she would want to tell you the truth as nothing from her past has come up that would be work related in the past couple of years. Am I wrong?"

Tony felt his chest grow tight as his eyes flashed to her again. "No, you're not."

"So, either she's that special to you already that you haven't made a move, or you haven't made a move because of your past with Nina Myers? Or perhaps both." Tony was silent as he didn't really know what to say. "Nevertheless," the President continued, "there is a lot about Michelle that will surprise you and she just got the shock of her life on top of what's going on today. After I assured her that her family was safe, her one request was to be able to tell you the truth. Something that, by the way, she requested 3 months ago. What's she's going through and the next couple of days, Tony, the next couple days at the very least are going to be very hard on her. You need to make up your mind quick on if you want to go there. Because if you decide you do then change your mind, you will have a rather angry group of highly skilled, highly trained, highly efficient international spies who will make it their personal mission to make your life a living hell if you hurt her. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, Mr. President."

"So, are you in?"

"Yes, I'm in."

"Good. I'll let her give you the details. And Tony, I am going to call Vance personally. If there is anything that she or her team needs, CTU is to help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things that need my attention."

Tony hung up the phone and hobbled over to the chair next to Michelle. She looked up at him. "What all did the President tell you?"