Sara approached the door, freezing in her tracks when her foot landed on the squeaky floor board outside Aldo's office. She held her breath, but when her mother continued to speak she let it out in relief. She stood still and listened to Grace's side of the conversation.

"2 years? Can't we appeal it?"

This was followed by silence. And then Grace's voice rose. "He's not coming back here, I can tell you that! I won't have him around my daughter; I won't have him in my home!"

Sara having the gist of the situation, tiptoed away, this time avoiding the tell tale floor board.

So Lincoln was facing a 2 year jail term. And Grace was forbidding Aldo from bringing Michael back to New York with him. This last was no surprise, Sara had expected as much, but somehow it hadn't really occurred to her that Michael would be alone in Chicago if Lincoln went to jail. She felt her heart ache for him. He had lost everything, his brother, his family and soon he would be alone.

She knew she had to find some way to contact him, she needed to tell him he hadn't lost her; that he would never lose her. But first she had to get her hands on a phone. Grace had taken away her cell phone and removed the long distance from their home phone, and what with her mother's hawk like surveillance, Sara hadn't been anywhere in the last week or so. Sara was trying not to hate her mother for all of this, but she was finding it more and more difficult.

An idea blossoming, she ran up the stairs and into her parent's room. She looked around hoping to spot Grace's handbag, but it was no where to be seen. Her next idea sent her rifling through the drawers. She was about to give up when she saw a small box shoved near the back of the drawer.

She pried it open and the change almost spilled out onto the hardwood floor, but she managed a quick save. She shoved the top back on and saying a silent prayer that it would be enough for a phone call to Chicago she shoved it into her purse. She then quietly slipped down the stairs and out the front door. She knew Grace would be upset at her prison break, but she was desperate and any form of punishment meted out would be worth hearing his voice again.

Sara was racking her brain trying to think of the nearest pay phone when David pulled up beside her.

"Hey, girl, where you off to?"

Sara glanced in his direction, but kept up her fast pace.

"I need to, um, I need to get to the mall. Do you think you could give me a lift?"

David looked her up and down, his eyes going back to the firm skin her belly shirt revealed as she walked.

"Aw-ight, hop in, I was lookin' to glomm some stuff soon anyways, yo."

Sara wasn't sure what glomm meant, but she really didn't care, she would be ditching David as soon as he came to a stop in front of the big doors leading to the mall court. She remembered having used the phone there the one time she had lost her cell phone, back when she was fourteen and needed a ride home, and she hoped to God it was still there.

She pulled open the door and hopped in. Shutting it behind her she looked at David with a grin.

"How fast does this thing go?"

David grinned back and in answer they shot away from the curb with a peal of burning rubber.

After promising David they would hook up later, Sara managed to get away from him. She felt her hands begin to sweat and her stomach to do flip flops as she raced towards the phone. She was in luck it was not in use at the moment, though with everyone owning a cell phone, she knew she shouldn't be too surprised.

She pulled out the box and sat it on the small ledge of the phone box. And then wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, she took up the phone. She press 0 and voiced her request. Michael had given her his phone number before he left in the hopes she would be able to do just this, sneak away and call him. She fed in change and then more change the box becoming empty but for two dimes. Soon the ringing sounded in her ear and she held her breath.

Please don't let Aldo answer was her mantra as it continued to ring. She was about to hang up when he finally answered.

His hello sounded tired and at first she couldn't speak. She listened to him saying hello again and then afraid he might hang up, her breath rushed out of her.

"Michael… It's me, please don't hang up! I'm here!"

There was a silence, and then his surprised but happy voice sounding tinny but wonderful filled her ears.

"Sara… How?"

Sara laughed as the first tear fell. "I snuck away, I had to. I had to talk to you, Michael; I had to hear your voice." She reached and brushed absently at her tears, not really caring at the stares of the other mall patrons. She was totally oblivious to anything but Michael.

"Sara, Lincoln…He's…

Sara nodded. "I know, Michael. I overheard my mother talking to Aldo just a little while ago. Two years is such a long time! I'm so sorry."

Michael sniffed and she had a feeling he was crying now too.

"Yeah, it is a long time. But hey, I'll be okay. I mean…"

"Michael, I miss you so much! I can't stand the thought of you being there all alone!" Her words cut him off.

She was really crying now, but still unaware of those around her as the tears coursed unchecked down her cheeks.

"Sara, I miss you too. I love you so much."

Just then a voice came on the line saying she was out of time.

"No!" She cried out and shoved the two remaining dimes into the slot.

The voice sounded again, apparently twenty cents wasn't worth much to the phone company these days.

"I love you, Michael!" She said quickly. And then, "Michael? Michael?"

But he was gone; the line was empty.

She stood in the mall court entrance holding the phone, the tears flowing down her cheeks.

As she stood there she vowed to herself she would get to Chicago; somehow she would get to Michael.

And when she did, no one would ever separate them again.

(Chapter End Notes:)

(Short I know, but I promise to update soon! (Maybe today, but if not hopefully no later than tomorrow.) Thanks for being patient while I finished Dr. Feelgood.)