A/N: Please pardon the extremely long delay. I wish I could promise more frequent updates, but if I don't have the writing bug it's tough to plow ahead. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter and as always, reviews really do make my day :)

XXXXXX

"Are you sure this is okay?" Veronica asked Sara for the third time, hovering in the doorway of the Scofield home.

"Hundred percent," she took the bag that Veronica slung off her shoulder, full of Charlotte's things, "I'm happy to."

Veronica needed to get back to work, and with Lincoln still in the hospital it would mean long days at daycare for Charlotte who, despite her tough exterior, was definitely concerned about everything that was going on. Veronica tried to imagine her daughter's perspective- seeing her cousin kidnapped literally in front of her, her dad being in the hospital…it was a lot to take. When Sara offered to watch her for the day, Veronica jumped at it, even though she was a bit surprised. She couldn't imagine Sara or Michael wanting to take on any extra responsibilities right now given their situation with Mike, but that was just Sara being Sara, always ready to lend a hand.

"Does Lincoln need anything today?" Sara asked as she retreated into the house a bit and set the bag down on their dining room table. Charlotte blew past her and was already making her way towards the T.V. where Michael was waiting for her on the couch- he'd strategically put on one of her favorite cartoons before she and Veronica had arrived.

"Uh," Veronica looked down evasively, "no. No, I think he's fine."

Sara's eyes narrowed, "What?"

Vee shook her head dismissively, "It's fine, he's just…sick of being there."

Sara scoffed, "Tough to be around?"

That got a smile, relieved that someone understood, "My God, yes. He's going stir crazy. Every time I go to visit I feel like he's happy to see us but then he just gets annoyed and…short tempered. It's like he's always ready to snap."

"It's normal," Sara assured, "but I know that doesn't make it any easier." After a moment she asked, "Ok, honest opinion, would it be helpful for Charlotte and I to visit, or would it be too much?"

Veronica considered, "I mean, I think it would be helpful. I know he's lonely and bored, and I know that him snapping is just because he's not happy being there, and Charlotte is a pretty good source of entertainment," the she shook her head, "but I can't ask you to do that."

"Vee, it's fine," she assured with a hand on her friend's arm, "if we're being honest, I'm kinda looking for things to keep my mind occupied."

Veronica met her eyes with sympathetic understanding, "And what about…?" She nodded towards Michael.

Sara sighed, "He uh, he's got a few more things to figure out."

Veronica nodded, "Thinking time."

"Yea, which means alone time. It might be better for everyone if we take a girl's trip to the hospital."

"You make it sound so fun."

She laughed, "I do what I can, maybe we'll even stop for ice cream on the way home."

Veronica smiled, "Careful, if you do that she's gonna start begging you to take her all the time."

Sara smiled, though there was a slight sadness in her eyes, "I really wouldn't mind that right now."

XXXXXXX

Jacob shuffled along the fence during yard time. It was cooler today, a cloudy sky and an actual chill in the air. His gang was close by but he had the space to think, and his fingers kept running back and forth over the handle of the shiv in his pocket.

It was easy, way too easy to find a weapon around here. He considered making one himself but reasoned that would take too long so instead he asked Justin, who'd given him a knowing look, understanding why Jacob needed it and clearly not liking the reason, but had delivered anyways.

Was he really doing this? The idea was fine, but contemplating the act of actually stabbing himself in the leg wasn't something he liked to let his mind linger on. He'd been injured before, but in the recent past he'd spent the vast majority of his time operating from behind closed doors. He didn't like to be the hands of the operation or the legs or any other body part that had to be outside of a safe office and out in the open. That's why he liked working in the shadows- he was the brains, too smart to risk his physical safety when there were plenty of other guys who could be the muscle on the ground.

That's not to say that being injured was unfamiliar territory, case and point- being shot in the leg at home. It's an interesting experience- unpleasant, sure, but interesting nonetheless. The shock. The moment of realization when your body tells your mind that something is horribly wrong. It's almost a moment of peace, of numb shock, before the pain slams into your consciousness. That moment between being hit, realizing what's happened, and then feeling the pain…it's that split second of being in limbo that he doesn't mind. But the pain? He really wasn't looking forward to that part again.

He went through all of his options again: He seriously doubted that Michael had ever intended to break him out. If Michael was actually working on a plan, there should have been some sort of contact by now, some sort of confirmation…a verbal explanation of his plan. A timeline of where and when the escape would be happening. But there wasn't, not a word.

How could Michael risk his son's life like that? Jacob wondered. What was his master plan to get Mike back? Whatever it was, Jacob hoped to take Michael by surprise. By landing himself in the hospital before the deadline he'd given Michael, any plan that he may put into motion wouldn't be ready yet, or at least not put into action at the time of Jacob's freedom.

Jacob's leg could heal just enough to have Emily pose as a transporter, ready to bring him "back to Fox River," when in reality they'd be heading straight for Mike and then off to Panama.

He sighed, kicking at a loose pebble beneath his feet; this was the only way. Waiting around for Michael to break him out had been plan A, but he knew that wasn't a real possibility. It put too many cards in Michael's hands, and Jacob knew he couldn't trust him to play it straight, not with this. The escape had to be taken in his own hands, with Michael and Sara distracted by their quest for Mike in the meantime. He hoped the deadline lingered in Michael's mind, a solid point. Unwavering. With that date in mind, Jacob's trip to the hospital and beyond would take them by surprise and he'd be out of the country before they could course correct. That was pretty much the only card he had right now- the element of surprise.

XXXXXXXX

"Where does this end?"

Sara's question from the day before lingered in Michael's mind. It was something he'd actively avoided ever since Mike was taken, pushing it to the depths of his mind every time it dared to make itself known.

It was an impossible question, and it was one that made him doubt the very basis of his moral being. Was murder ever justified? It never got easier- all the lives lost because of his actions, whether direct or indirect, he felt them all the same. It hurt, physically hurt, every time and the faces of those lost lives would pop up unexpectedly in dreams and wandering thoughts. He'd be fine, distracted by the present and then bam, the face of a random victim would flash in front of his eyes. His stomach would sink, a queasy feeling followed by an anxious desire to push that thought back to wherever it came from. It was unpleasant, exhausting, and something he didn't know if he could put himself through again. The devils advocate, however, pointed out darkly, "What's one more?"

What's one more face to add to the rotation, the imaginary wheel that was spun to determine which face would haunt him this time. This face in particular was one that provoked mixed feelings, though mostly unfavorable ones. After all Jacob had done to them…how far was too far?

The greenery of their yard before him registered in his brain as if for the first time, despite the fact that he'd been sitting outside for hours. He imagined that the fresh air and sunshine was good for his mind, despite the fact that he rarely acknowledged it consciously. He'd spent far too much time scheming within brick walls, solid and containing nothing but darkness.

He inhaled deeply, reminding himself he was lucky to be free, finally, with far more resources at his disposal. And family. Friends. People who cared and were willing to help…it wasn't something he was used to anymore, but he hoped that someday that would change, that normalcy would settle into his bones and never let him forget; he wasn't alone.

XXXXXXX

Lincoln stared blankly at the T.V on the wall in front of his hospital bed. The hours seemed to drag on forever, not unlike his days at Fox River. The similarity was startling- did they realize that a hospital stay for a long recovery was pretty much like being on death row? The beeping of the machines might as well have been the buzzing of cell doors opening and closing. Nurses made rounds just like C.O.s. Only thing missing was count and yard time, something he desperately wanted. They said he had another day or two before he could really attempt getting up and moving around in any meaningful way.

He felt that that timeline was ridiculous- his leg was feeling a lot better, but still looked a mess…he couldn't deny that. Surely the pain meds they had him on were masking the worst of it but still…

"You've got visitors," his nurse informed him, poking her head in the doorway.

A brief pause to register her words, "Okay."

Charlotte zoomed around the nurse and came running towards him full speed, making him smile as she crashed into his bed and wriggled her way up onto it. The adult that followed wasn't Vee like he assumed, but Sara. He found himself oddly relieved at that fact- he loved Vee, but they'd been getting on each other's nerves. They were both trying not to, to be civil and understanding but it was tough. Sara was an easy presence to have around, and someone he couldn't even imagine picking a fight with…not a real one anyways. Vee was stubborn and teasing each other was part of their relationship, but Sara and Linc had always had an easy way about them. Their conversations were usually short but meaningful, calm, and never led to any kind of escalation.

"Hey," Sara greeted simply as she breezed in, Charlotte's bag slung over her shoulder.

Lincoln eyed the bag and smirked, "Looks like Vee sent you with everything but the kitchen sink."

She chuckled and set it down, taking a seat next to his bed, "Always best to be prepared."

Charlotte nestled against Lincoln's side, sitting with her legs folded under herself and facing Lincoln, "When are you coming home?"

"Soon, I promise."

"Soon, when?" She asked with a slight whine.

"Sounds like a few more days," he told her, "but then I'll be home for good."

"Are you still hurt?" She wondered.

"I'm okay," he promised with a nod, "I'll be good as new."

That seemed to assuage her, and she looked to Sara, "Can I have my game?"

Sara bent down and reached into the bag, grabbed the little hand-held game and passed it to her niece, who took it and settled into Lincoln, resting in the crook of his arm.

"How's Michael?" Lincoln asked.

"He should've been here, I'm sorry," she started-

Lincoln waved a hand dismissively, "-come on."

"I know," she said with a similar dismissive tone, "but he should. I'm sure he's wanted to visit more but he's uh…"

"Busy thinking?" Lincoln supplied.

"Yea," she agreed, "he uh…he's hanging on, but…"

Brows narrowed, "But?"

She shrugged and huffed a breath, "I'm worried about him Linc, I've never seen him retreat quite this much before."

Lincoln seemed a bit concerned, but quickly assured her that, "You didn't see him in the thick of it all though."

"You mean all those years working for Jacob?"

"Yea, and even at Fox river…I mean, you saw him every day but he spent plenty of time in his cell staring at the ceiling, planning everything out."

Her eyes were staring blankly ahead of her, considering this, "Guess that's true."

"Is he okay otherwise?" Lincoln asked, "when he isn't thinking it through, when he's with you…does he seem ok?"

After a moment, "Yea…yea if we're just chatting or spending time together he seems okay, like his usual self."

Lincoln shrugged, "Well, there you go. I'd be worried if he was in his own world 24/7 but-"

"-no I get it," she agreed, "you're right. Guess there's still a lot I don't know about him, and about what he's gone though…what his life has really been like the past seven years."

"I think there's a lot about him that no one knows," he smirked, "he's private, doesn't like to burden anyone with his problems or feelings."

She scoffed, "Yea you could say that."

Lincoln shrugged with a smile, "Just how he is, how he's always been."

She nodded, "True," then exhaled, changing the subject, "so you're feeling okay?"

"Bored as he-, heck," he corrected, remembering the little ears next to him, "but the leg is feeling fine," he paused, then frustrated, "I wanna leave."

She laughed, "I know, but a few more days isn't so bad right?"

"Easy for you to say, you can walk outta here anytime you want," he teased.

"I mean yea," she agreed with a smile, "but soon you'll be home and back to work, like none of this ever happened."

"Can't happen soon enough."