A/N: So, so, sorry it's been a few days since the last update. I've gone to my aunts place out in the country, nd my cousins have a tendancy to hog the internet. I did however, get time to write this chapter, and most of the next. So provided I get reviews and people are still reading, I can have the next one up tonight (my time). I'm also on a mission to find an ethernet router so I can connect my laptop up, wish me luck:)

Chapter Eight

'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it

Half an hour later, Michael and Sara were out on the open road. Michael had one arm causally resting on the steering wheel, the other resting in the space between his and Sara's seats. They'd barely spoken two words to each other since they had gotten in the car.

It wasn't that Michael didn't want to speak to her; it's just that he had no idea what to say. He needed to fix this, needed to make it right. Somehow, knowing that things weren't okay between them tore him up inside. I suppose this is a normal reaction to have after fighting with someone you love, he thought to himself, keeping his eyes trained straight ahead. Tearing his eyes away from the road, he stole a secret glance at Sara.

She was staring out her window at the endless expanse of desert. Her hands were sitting softly in her lap, and he longed to reach out and grab one of them. As if she knew he was looking, she slowly turned and made eye contact with him. He couldn't make out the expression in her eyes. He supposed it was a mixture of pain, hurt, and was that……longing? He smiled at the thought, causing her to give him a curious look. Her heart got the better of her for a brief moment, and her lips threatened to return his smile. Then suddenly, as if remembering she was angry at him, she turned away, severing their eye contact, and once again facing out into the desert.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Michael's face fall. She instantly felt guilty. As angry as she was at him, she hated being the one to take away that smile of his. God, that smile..…Sara, Stop! She scolded herself. She was so utterly confused about hers and Michael's relationship. They weren't exactly just friends, yet they weren't exactly lovers. She even had her doubts about his motive to be with her in the first place. Yet, regardless of all this, she couldn't bring herself to leave him. Not even in Gila. She had written the note, and made it to the car before realizing that she wanted, needed, to be with him.

It scared her more than she could bear to admit that maybe he didn't feel the same way about her. His looks told her the attraction was mutual, but she couldn't quite bring herself to believe that she was falling in love with – correction: had fallen in love with – one of the most wanted men in America.

Michael turned his expression back to the road, though he had to admit the view was hardly as pleasing as Sara's gorgeous face. Sighing, he decided to break the tense silence that had enveloped the car.

"I saw my father." He stated softly.

The word "father" coming from Michael startled Sara. She remembered from her various perusals of Michael's file and medical records that his father had been noticeably absent from his childhood. She remembered reading about it back when she had first met Michael; her fascination with him and her attraction to him had caused her to want to learn more about him. In fact, if she recalled correctly, she didn't think Michael had even seen his father. Her curiosity peaked, she turned back to face him.

"Sorry?" She replied, prompting him to elaborate.

"Lincoln and I, after I……lost you in Gila….we ran into our father. He's a big part of this conspiracy – the reason Lincoln was framed in the first place. He's the one who told us that the Government believed your father had given you something – a tape – that could bring down their whole operation."

Michael paused for a moment, seemingly composing himself before continuing. Sara mulled over his words. So he did only find out about the key after I'd been taken? The knowledge comforted her somewhat. She couldn't bear to think that Michael had known she might possess something that would render her an even greater target the she already had been. She hadn't really believed he had, but in the shock of his asking her about it this morning, only a day after she'd been tortured for the information…well, she figured she was entitled to a moment or two of painful doubt. She looked at him thoughtfully, silently asking him to continue.

"Sara, this thing, it's huge." He continued softly, closing his eyes briefly.

Sara nodded, she was well aware how deep and high up the conspiracy went, which was why she appreciated the fact that she was, right now, with the one person in the entire world she knew she could trust. She knew he wouldn't hold this morning against her; he understood her, more than anyone else ever had.

Her big brown eyes stared into his, and his heart immediately felt lighter. The pain that had lingered in her gaze had practically vanished, and been replaced with concern.

"The agent that caught up with is in Gila…." Michael continued, trying to keep his voice steady. She could tell from the way his voice wavered that whatever was coming wasn't good. "He found Linc and I….he…" Michael paused and looked away, unable to continue for a brief moment.

"Michael?" She prodded ever so gently. The concern in her voice gave him the strength he needed to continue. She saw him blink to hold back tears that were threatening to fall. Finally, Michael once again turned to face her. His eyes tore into hers as he continued.

"He shot my father."

Sara gasped, her hand moving to cover her mouth. She felt tears forming in her own eyes, and they began to fall at Michael's next sentence.

"He…he…didn't make it." He stammered, still not quite wanting to believe that the event had actually occurred.

Oh god, Sara thought sadly, her heart breaking for him. She felt the warm tears spill down her cheeks and she tasted the saltiness when they reached the corner of her mouth.

Michael was once again facing the road, trying, as always, to remain strong.

"Michael, I'm….I'm so sorry…" She spoke quietly, her voice full of truth and meaning. He simply glanced at her, offering a small brave smile, before returning his gaze to the empty road.

Slowly, Sara unfolded her hands from her lap, and reached over to place her palm on top of Michael's hand. She felt the sparks fly between them the second her skin made contact with his, and the intensity of the touch almost burnt her. She delicately ran her fingers over the top of his hand, offering what little comfort she could.

In that moment, no words were needed between them. Michael turned his hand in hers, their palms connecting. His fingers found their way between hers and he gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. He breathed a sigh of happiness and relief as he felt her return his grasp, their fingers interlocking tightly.

A/N: So, Michael and Sara, they are good again. Which makes me happy 'cause I think they both realise that they have this mutual attraction and this semi-relationship thing going, but I don't think either knows how to define it, and with the conspiracy and all that's going on, it just doesn't seem realistic to me to have them all lovey-dovey coupley as if nothing else is happening. That said, the next chapter is a little fluffy, but hey, I'm used to writing Meredith and Derek (Grey's Anatomy) stuff, so...yeah. I promise it won't be too un-Misa though, I think it came up quite believable for them. Anyhow, enough rambling. Please review!!