A/N: Hi Everyone! Yes, that's right, if you are reading this that means there is an update to this story! First, I can only offer my sincerest apologies for the delay to this story. It was unbelievably unfair to all of the readers to be left hanging like that. I don't even have a good excuse as to why. The only thing I will say is that a while back my flash drive had been damaged, and I lost a good portion of a few stories I had been working on. It is indescribable the effect that had on me, and I frankly just lost the motivation to write. I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to.

However, I just completed my first year of graduate school and it was a stressful time. And of course, the thing that really helped ease my stress…..was WRITING! Boy did it feel good to get back at it again. So, after a quick Prison Break marathon, I'm back at it. Next, I wanted to offer a HUGE thank you to all of you who have stuck by this story and for all the kind words. Trust me, they do not go unnoticed. I appreciate every single one of you! OK, that's enough of my blabbering when all you want to do is read this chapter (hopefully!) I hope you enjoy it, and I will try my hardest to get the next one up soon!

I quickly grabbed the tiny glass that was resting on the sink and filled it with water. I let the cool liquid slide down my throat in an effort to cause me peace. In my current situation, however, that was doubtful. My head felt as though it was bashed in with a brick and weighed two tons. The water from the faucet was still running and I put my hands deep down in the water. Splashing the water onto the floor I ran my now wet hands across my face and through my hair. I was feeling so overwhelmed at how out of control everything was becoming. I willingly tied up an innocent family taking part in holding them hostage. I only ever wanted to help prove Lincoln innocent, but how far was I willing to do to accomplish the goal?

Repeating that gesture over and over again I didn't even hear Tbag enter the kitchen. Shutting off the water, I bowed my head and tightly gripped my hands around the base of the sink. Tbag was silent as he just stared at me waiting to see if I would make a move. I assumed that Susan and her kids were still bound in their chairs scared for their lives.

"You're a bastard you know that?" I said quietly but fiercely.

It was then that I noticed that he was still holding the gun and it made me tense. My eyes connected with his and he was in defensive mode and not in the mood for games. Apparently, he had genuinely seemed surprise that a mother would try to kill him in an attempt to protect her children.

"One, I didn't hit you that hard. Keep in my mind that you have been stabbed twice so a simple jab to the jaw can't be that debilitating."

I shut my eyes instantly recalling the time in Fox River when Tbag attempted to kill Abruzzi and myself nearly succeeding. A small tingle underneath my shirt from the slightest scar on my abdomen reminded me of how close I came to losing everything. The throbbing agony in my shoulder I felt nearly every day from Abruzzi also made me think I was a new kind of crazy for allowing myself to be put in these situations. Who knew how much more of a beating my body or my mind could take?

"Two, if you had only backed me up in there instead of turning against me Laneykins I wouldn't have had to get violent."

The fact that Tbag needed a reason to get violent made me smirk to myself. As if the choice was difficult between an innocent woman and her children or a murderous psychopath. Then again, I wouldn't have had to make such a choice if I hadn't set them free on innocent people to begin with.

"So now that you have ensured that two children will likely be traumatized for the rest of their lives, what is your next move?" I said.

He moved further into the kitchen inching closer to me. I studied him and it was as if his mind was racing trying to come up with something. I reached out my hand to gently rest on top of his wrist an action that sent chills through the both of us.

"Listen to me T, no one has been hurt here. We can still get out of this if we leave right now. Susan promised that she wouldn't contact the authorities so we should just take off while we still can."

He cut me off after that point, "I just need a little more time to make her understand that the love between us is real. She has to understand that!"

"Tbag you have them tied to chairs downstairs being held captive against their will! I'm no expert but there has to be a more romantic approach when admitting your feelings."

An awkward silence fell between the both of us and I realized our proximity in space and touch. We were both thinking back to the afternoon where Tbag surprised me on the boat and the fountain, and any girl would swoon over a romantic gesture such as that. He was staring intently at me like there was something he wanted to say so badly it was burning his tongue.

"I just need more time." He ended up saying. "And I need you to help me."

"What if she can't or won't love you. This can't last forever."

He didn't answer but I noticed his fingers clench tightly around the base of the gun and that small movement revealed more than any words could. Tbag pulled away from me and exited through the room and started moving down the hall. I paced my steps after him. My footsteps moved in step with him and he stopped placing his hand across the wall nearly knocking me over.

"Go into Gracie's room and wait for me." he commanded. "I will bring the kids up to go to bed in her room and Susan and I will sleep in the other room."

I narrowed my eyes at him and slowly folded my arms across my chest. If he was trying to be subtle with his plan, he was failing miserably. What was I supposed to assume? He was indeed a convicted rapist and he wanted to have a sleepover with the woman he "loved" in her bedroom. It was as if he could read my mind and all the horrific thoughts I was currently thinking.

"Just relax Laneykins. I promise that I will be on my best behavior and not touch Susan. At least not unless she asks me too."

I put my hands out in front of my face not needing any more detail. I could feel the smirk on his face as he starting moving back to where the other three were being held. It was suddenly clear that I didn't even know which rooms were which in this house. Susan's room was the last room in the hallway and the bathroom was right next to it, but the children's rooms were unfamiliar territories. I moved through the halls taking in the picture frames that rested on the walls of this normal happy family. It was crazy to think of how quickly everything can change based on one encounter with another. Tbag had a gift for turning the lives of people upside down. The thud of footsteps and slight crying turned my attention to Tbag leading the Hollander family awkwardly up the stairs. Their hands were tied together and Tbag was trying to keep a hold on all three of them. Gracie was crying, Susan was trying to calm the situation, and Zach looked as though he could kill Tbag three times over.

"Take the kids to the room and get them settled in for the night." Tbag said referring to me. He then gave Gracie and Zach a slight push in my direction.

They slowly started to move in my direction and I made the briefest eye contact with Susan. She looked downright terrified to be left alone with Tbag and in her bedroom no doubt. I tried to give her the slightest nod of my head to give her my word that I would keep her children safe, but I never knew if she understood me. I led the kids into one of the rooms that turned out to be Gracie's. Bright pink colors filled the space and flowers decorated the walls. Zach and Gracie instantly felt the exhaustion from the day and collapsed themselves onto the small bed with the sky blue bedding. I quietly shut the door and moved over to where they were huddled together.

"Here, let me see your hands."

The rug right in front of the bed made the perfect spot for me to kneel in front of Gracie as I gently took her petite hands in my own. They were trembling as I held them trying to untie the ropes around them. There were tears soaked on her cheeks as she was desperate to understand what was going on. The ropes finally slid onto the carpet below and she instantly recoiled her hands under her chin. If Zach was feeling any sort of emotion, on the other hand, he was doing his best to hide it. As I reached out for the ropes that bound his wrists together, he immediately pulled them away and the anger started boiling over. He started thrashing about even though I was only trying to help.

"Stop it. " I said. "Stop it. Stop it. Stop it."

"No. I hate him! I hate you! Just leave us alone!" he started screaming so loudly that the tears were burning his eyes.

Even I had to admit it stung to hear him state that he hated me too. He was still shouting despite my attempts to quiet him down. I was gripping his wrists when Tbag burst through the door holding a knife in his hands. Not the greatest move because Gracie started crying again and Zach stood up defensively as if he wanted to fight. Tbag started moving closer and I quickly ended up between them trying to ease the tension.

"You cannot untie them if they won't behave." Tbag said plainly.

"They will behave. They are just tired and frightened." I said making eye contact directly with Zach. He mumbled under his breath that he was not frightened.

"Listen closely kiddos. When I am not present in a room Laneykins here is in charge. But know that I am always close by."

Now the poor kids would have nightmares for sure. Zach didn't verbally respond but took his place right next to his sister. As he was going to leave Tbag put his fingers on my shoulders nearly touching my wound and he looked me square in the eye.

"Don't do anything stupid."

As soon as he shut the door behind him I released an enormous exhale. When I turned around both Gracie and Zach were staring intently at me. I started gathering up what pillows and blankets I could find so that I could make a bed for myself on the floor. It was an awkward silence as I went to work without speaking to the kids. Collapsing my body onto the largest blanket I could feel my body starting to succumb to the exhaustion. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked up to notice both kids still staring at me.

"I don't understand." Gracie admitted. "You seem nice. Why are you with him?"

"It's complicated." I answered with a fake grin hoping they would accept that.

Both of them looked at me with a raised eyebrow. It made me remember being their age and how much I hated when my father would skirt around the truth because he thought I was too young to handle it. It was annoying, to not be treated fairly and Zach and Gracie didn't deserve to be treated this way either. With a sigh, I turned my torso to face them.

"Tbag…er Teddy I mean was an inmate in Fox River State Penitentiary." I tried to say as delicately as possible.

Their eyes widened at the thought of someone they once cared for being a prison inmate.

"What do you mean was an inmate? Did they release him?" Zach asked immediately.

"Not exactly." I whined. "He along with seven other inmates escaped."

It sounded like a story line from a movie.

"Why was he in prison?" Gracie asked innocently.

Now it was my turn for my eyes to widen. How did I answer this question truthfully? That Tbag was a wanted fugitive because of history with children. I'm sure that would put their mind at ease.

"He…um…he hurt several people. And when your mom found out she turned him in and they sent him to prison. He still believed she had feelings for him and that you all could be a family."

Zach and Gracie exchanged looks with each other at the thought of Tbag being integrated into their family, and how their entire perception has changed. It had to be difficult for them to realize that Tbag was a bad man because he appeared so normal around them. Well, as normal as Tbag could be.

"So how did you end up with him?" both of them asked simultaneously.

A dry lump started to formed in the back of my throat. How was I going to even begin to explain the situation?

"I was working undercover for the FBI at the prison."

You would think by the look on their faces that I had told them that I had magical powers. It was a look of almost hope that they would be able to make it out of this situation.

"You're undercover! Then at some point you will arrest Teddy." Zach stated confidently.

"No my cover was blown the night of the escape. You see…um."

I rubbed my hand on the back of my neck trying to find the right words. It was then that I realized that if I couldn't explain my circumstances convincingly to children, how would I be capable of convincing my father or the FBI that what I did was the right thing? I took a deep breath before continuing.

"I ended up helping with the escape, but I didn't intend for seven people to get out."

"You helped that monster go free! I thought the police were supposed to stop the bad guys." Zach spat.

If only it was clear who the bad guys and good guys were.

"Are we going to die?" Grace asked so bluntly that it caught me off guard. They took my silence as their answer as hopelessness started to settle across their faces.

"No." I stated firmly. "I won't let that happen."

"I'm sure you said something similar to the police about the bad guys escaping." Zach muttered under his breath.

There was nothing I could say to make them believe or trust me. Why should they? My actions have only supported Tbag this entire time. I told them that I didn't want to answer any more questions and that they needed their rest. Gracie immediately rested her head against her princess pillow and allowed her eyelids to flutter shut. Zach rested against his sister keeping a vigilant watch over her occasionally glancing in my direction.

My hands were resting on top of my knees and I stared intently at my twitching fingers. I was thinking back to my time in Fox River trying to discern the moment when I changed. The moment when I decided to allow innocent lives to be put into danger just to serve my ego. I wanted to be right. I wanted to prove to everyone that these people weren't bad people and deserved a second chance.

All I ever wanted was to serve and protect people and bring wrong doers to justice. All I wanted was to change and make the world a better place. How could spending eight months in a penitentiary make me question everything I always believed in?

The moonlight provided the only light throughout the room as I stayed awake on my back. My body was pleading for rest, but my mind would not shut off. It was hard not to think of what the others were doing and if they were safe. I had no doubts that Michael and his brother could stay out of trouble, but I had my reservations about the others. It had to be a pretty big shock when they discovered that Tbag disappeared with the money. Many of them were counting on it to make their living. Abruzzi had plenty of money in his accounts overseas but he probably wouldn't be keen on sharing with the others.

It seemed unfair that every time Tweener and I were reunited and tried to be together, something or someone managed to get in the way. Although, it seemed fitting that my punishment for allowing the escape would be to keep me separated from the one person I truly wanted to be with. When it came down to it, maybe we end up with only who we truly deserve, and that's why I keep finding myself in the company of Tbag. He was overt with his violent tendencies, but I had to admit the small pleasure I received from using weapons too. It provided a sense of power and control when I held a gun. I could do anything. In the end, that had to be the same feeling Tbag experienced, except he just didn't stop when he felt the urge to kill. I was born and raised to always remain in control, and I was terrified to think about the day when I finally let everything go.

When would I finally lose every sense of myself?