Disclaimer: I don't own Prison break or its characters, I just love them.
A/N: I thought I wouldn't update before a week but apparently my muse is really active and loves Michael and his troupe as much as I do. So, here it goes, chapter three. Hope you'll enjoy.
Oh and before I forget this chapter is dedicated to a very good friend of mine without whom I won't be here writing to you guys. Alice, this one is all for you. (Ok! Je vois!) Thanks for all the support and the laughter…
Chapter three: Decisions.
Michael, Sara and LJ watched with anxiety and astonishment as Veronica stroke Kellerman with all her strength. Their assailant, who did not see it coming, fell on the floor, unconscious.
"Lincoln." Michael yelled as he kneeled to the floor next to the agent.
"Wow, Veronica!" LJ exclaimed with an impressed grin. She was still a little dazed but she smiled back nonetheless. Sara had collapsed on the nearest chair, trying to regain her breathing. She watched as Lincoln rushed to the kitchen, looking at the scene with a confused expression that quickly changed in one of worry. She was familiar with that side of Lincoln. Back in prison, sometimes it was all she saw of him, a sad, worried and almost hopeless man.
He kneeled down as well and felt an unbearable feeling of rage take control of his senses, as he figured out who the man lying on the floor was. He never actually got face to face with him but the dozens of stories Veronica told him were enough for Lincoln to know what Kellerman looked like. Moreover, the killing look LJ was throwing at the unmoving body would have been enough for him to understand.
"LJ, we need a rope." Michael told his nephew who hurriedly went out of the kitchen, knowing exactly where he can found what his uncle had asked him.
"What happened?" Lincoln asked as he helped Michael carry Kellerman's unconscious body out of the kitchen to the entrance hall. They dropped him to the floor without much consideration and waited for LJ to come back.
"He must have followed Sara." Michael said throwing the agent a disgusted look. He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. He was tired of dealing with all this crap but he had to stay focused.
"And?" Lincoln urged him to continue.
"He came in and threatened… LJ with a gun." He whispered the last part and watched apprehensively as his brother's gaze darkened.
"Son of a bitch!" Lincoln hissed, clenching his fist.
"Luckily, wonder woman came to our rescue." LJ added, handing the rope to his uncle. Lincoln's eyebrows rose questioningly.
"Veronica came from behind and hit the crap out of his head." LJ carried on with a smirk while Michael proceeded on tying up Kellerman's hands. Lincoln looked over his son's shoulder and watched Veronica who was trying to help Sara calm down. She looked up and their eyes locked and they shared a smile.
"She's really cool, Dad." LJ said as he watched the interaction between his father and the lawyer.
"Yeah, she is." Lincoln replied.
"I could use a little help here." Michael said and his brother kneeled down to help him tie up Kellerman's legs. Then, Michael went to the kitchen and came back with a roll of adhesive. He cut a long piece with his teethes and put it over Kellerman's mouth.
"LJ, a chair." Michael instructed and his nephew obliged.
"What are we going to do with him?" the young man asked as he came back from the kitchen, handing his father an old wooden chair.
"To be honest, I was kind of hoping something like that would happen." Michael revealed.
"What?" Sara asked. She and Veronica had joined them, just in time to hear Michael's last words. She was looking at her ex-patient with a mixture of hurt and surprise and he hated it. He wanted to apologise and he would, but later. Right now, he had to deal with things that are more important. Once again, he would put his true desires and needs aside and think of what was best for every one.
"Sara, I don't want to hurt your feelings any more than I already have but you have to understand that he only used you…"
"I got that, but thanks for reminding me." She cut him off rather angrily. "I may not be a genius but I'm not stupid. A five-years-old would have understood the situation." She added crossing her arms clearly pissed off now.
"When you agreed on meeting me, I knew that he would try to follow you…" he tried to carry on but she interrupted him again.
"So why would you…" she began to yell at him but this time he cut her off.
"Stop interrupting me!" he hissed and they all looked at him with shocked looks. "We have a government agent tied up and lying unconscious on the floor, needless to say that things are going to be hectic for the next hours. So, please let me finish my explanation. You are going to be able to yell at me as loud and as much as you want but only when I'm done talking." He finished his voice gentler and she nodded slightly. She never saw this bossy side of Michael and she had to silence the little voice in her head who was begging her to throw herself at him. Since the day he had stepped in the infirmary, two and half months ago, she had to constantly argue with that little voice. She almost had become a friend during her lonely nights.
"Ok, so here's the thing." He said with his deep and soft voice. He took a long breath before continuing, unaware of Sara blushing because of some censured images crossing her mind. "I hoped that he would follow Sara so we could get a rid of him." he explained looking at the four of them.
"I would be more than glad to do so." Lincoln said putting a hand on the gun that was still hanging on his belt and LJ agreed, nodding vigorously.
"We're not killing anybody!" Michael said forcefully, sending shivers down Sara's spine again. "Linc, you're not a murderer, you're not going to start now!" he reminded his big brother and Lincoln's angry expression change into a guiltier and softer one. Both women sighed with relief. Despite the resentment, they were feeling toward Kellerman, they did not want another body count, especially if it would put Michael and Lincoln in more trouble.
"So, what are you planning to do?" Veronica asked the question that they all had in mind.
"At first I thought we could force him into talking but I really don't believe we can get anything out of him so, here's the plan: LJ and Lincoln, you stay here with him. Veronica and I are going to his place to see if we can find anything and then we'll see where to go from there." He said and Lincoln, Veronica and LJ nodded. "LJ, do you remember the address?" he asked his nephew who nodded.
"I'll go write it down for you." He said heading toward the living room, leaving the four adults looking anxiously at each other. Veronica knew Michael was not done talking yet but she also knew that the rest of the conversation was none of her business or Lincoln's.
"Lincoln, I need your help with something…in the living room." she said giving him a meaningful look. Michael smiled gratefully at her and she inwardly winked. The couple left to join LJ in the living room.
"Very subtle." Lincoln whispered at his girlfriend with a smirk.
"What can I say; you must have an affect on me." She said smirking back and he chuckled.
In the entrance hall, Michael and Sara were having a battle of 'who-could-stare-the-longer-without-blinking' and neither seemed to be willing to give up. Michael decided to speak first but he did not break eye contact. He knew that his eyes were the key to her heart; he did not know why, he simply knew it. His piercing blue eyes had an effect on her and he was shamefully planning to use it at his advantage. He felt guilty to use her weakness, just as he did when he was at Fox River but it was for a good cause; her safety.
She was his weakness.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hissed at you." He said, guilt shinning in his eyes.
"It's ok. It's just one more issue we can add to the endless list of unfortunate events that are due to our incompatibility." She said sternly, trying to hide her true feeling and failing once again.
"I wouldn't say that we're incompatible." He said with a small smile but she ignored his comment. "Okay…" he said lamely, "I need to know what you want to do." He asked coming back to the important focus.
"What do you mean?" she asked trying to gain some time.
"You can still go back to your life, Sara; you still have the choice." He said even if it made his heart ache.
"Talk about a choice!" she laughed bitterly. "Go back to a house that doesn't feel like home anymore and wait for the next jerk who'll try to manipulate me, in order to get what he wants or go on the run with three ex-convicts who probably are the most wanted people of the country at the moment, leaving all my life behind." She said looking intently at him with a mixture of fear and anger shadowing her beautiful chocolate eyes. He found himself wondering if he will ever see compassion and care in them again. A wave of guilt washed over him once again and he wished, for her own good, that he had never met her.
"You're still so cynical." He said returning her intense gaze.
"Still? I think even if I wasn't cynical before, I would have every right to be now." She snapped but he did not flinch, he would not.
"I know." He simply said. She finally averted her eyes from him, knowing that his deep gaze could keep her from taking a rational and objective decision. She turned her eyes to Kellerman's still unconscious figure.
"Who knew Veronica had it in her." He said with a chuckle, as if reading her thoughts and for the first time of the evening, she smiled which gave him a little hope.
"Well, I guess you can find the strength to do a lot of things when it comes to the people you love." She said deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"I know." He repeated, feeling his heart warm up at the possible meaning of her words.
"He's bleeding." She said noticing blood on Kellerman's white and neat shirt. Her doctor instinct told her she should be doing something about it but she fought the urge. Fighting her instincts seemed to be the only thing she was doing tonight. That, and risking her life.
"It was quite a strike." Michael said bending over to look more closely at the wound, which was situated at the back of his head. "I think he'll survive." He said with relief and somehow it did not surprise her. What first drawn her to Michael was his kindness, something you rarely see in a place like Fox River.
"So you're a doctor now?" she asked raising her eyebrows and making him chuckle.
"You can look at it yourself." He said but she did not move.
"He's fine." She said. From where she stood, she could see that it was not a deep wound. Kellerman was just going to wake up with a horrible migraine and a bump. "He doesn't even need stitches." She added, looking one last time at his head. She looked at Michael who seemed amused and she fought the urge to smile.
They stood in silence for several more minutes. He did not want to urge her but time was running out. He was about to ask again but she spoke first.
"Where are we going?" she finally asked looking at him intently.
"We?" he asked with a smile and she nodded. He sighed with relief and looking over her shoulder, he saw Veronica and Lincoln standing in the hallway a few feet away, smiling. They seemed to be as relieved as he was. "Well I think Veronica and I could use some help and then we'll drop by your apartment so you can grab your stuff."
"Ok." She said.
"Ok." He repeated still smiling.
A/N: Ouhou! Chapter 3. I have so much fun writing this story. These characters rock! Please tell me what you thought.
Thanks to those who reviewed (you pushed into writing this one) and thanks to the other readers as well.