Chapter three: Reunions:

Michael stepped off the plane into a hot Miami airport. He didn't have any luggage, so he walked through the crowds of tourists, and out to the front of the building. Michael's cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

"Hello?" Michael flipped his phone open.

"Michael how was your flight?"

"Oh, Jeremiah. It was fine. What do I do now?"

"Call a friend to pick you up. I'll call you later when it's time for you to meet our operative."

"Alright."

"The kid's a rooky but he's good."

Michael sighed. "Great." He mumbled sarcastically. "Why do I feel like I'm training the new kids again."

"Because, you kind of are." Jeremiah half-laughed.

"So, you're a handler now? It was only three years ago when we worked together in the field."

"Three years is a long time Michael."

"Yeah, I guess it is. Have you heard from Dan lately? How's he doing?" (Dan, Michael's former handler.)

"Yeah, we work on the same floor now. He's doing good."

"So what's this rookie's name?"

"William Butler. Don't treat him like a rookie."

"Fine."

"Oh, and one more thing Michael, you can tell your friends what you want, but they are to know no details of the operation."

"Okay."

"Bye." Jeremiah hung up the phone.

Michael began dialing Fiona's number.

Fiona answered the phone with out checking the caller ID.

"Sam, I swear to God if you call me one more time I will,"

"Fi." Michael interrupted.

"Michael! Are you all right? What happened? Where are you?"

"I'm fine Fi. I'm at the airport, I need you to pick me up."

"You've been gone for two weeks and all I get is an 'I'm fine.'"

"Fi, I'll explain later. Tell Sam to meet us at the loft. Can you just pick me up? How's Jesse?"

"He's doing good. He got out of the hospital last week. I'll have Sam pick him up and bring him to the loft. I'm on my way"

"Thanks Fi."

XxXxXx

Fiona slammed her car door and ran over to Michael who was waiting by the front of the airport. "Michael!"

"Hey Fi."

Fiona rapped her arms around Michael's neck and brought him down to kiss her. After a while Fiona let go and looked at Michael.

"Fi, we need to go."

"Not, until you tell me what happened." Fiona demanded as she shut the driver's door.

"It's a long story that I only plan on telling once. We're holding up the traffic."

"Fine, but your mom's gonna' want an explanation as to why her son was missing for two weeks. She has a concussion from Vaughn."

Michael ran his hand over his face, and sighed. "I forgot about my mom. I'll go to see her later."

XxXxXx

"Hey Mikey! Where've you been?" Sam said drinking a beer at Michaels counter.

"Hey Sam." Michael looked at Jesse who was sitting in his green chair with his leg on a footstool. Next to him on the floor were his crutches. Jesse's entire leg was covered with a white cast. "Jesse." Michael nodded.

"Hi."

Fiona sat next to Sam at the counter and looked at Michael. "I'm waiting."

"I was taken into custody by the FBI, and interrogated for a week." Michael explained. "Then we were in a car for hours, and I didn't know where they were taking me. We ended up in DC. In front of Langley."

Michael saw Fiona's jaw clench. She knew where this conversation was headed, and she didn't like it.

"Sam, do you remember Jeremiah Mill?"

"Yeah, we worked a couple operations with him. Why?"

"Well he was there. He took me to meet someone. His name was Jeffrey Donovan."

"The actor?" Jesse looked confused.

"No, a different Jeffrey Donovan. They wanted to know about my time in Miami with Vaughn. And they gave me an offer. They said if I helped an operative on an operation here in Miami then Jesse would get his job back, and my burn notice would be reviewed."

Jesse's face lit up. "Are you doing it?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my god, thank you!"

"Michael. You're getting back in?"

"Hey Jesse, want a beer? Lets go have them outside." Sam handed Jesse a beer and helped him walk out to the balcony.

"Fi, I…"

"No! Do not give your excuses! I thought you were over the whole burn notice thing!"

"Fiona, I'm not even defiantly back in. This can get Jesse his old job back." Michael walked towards Fiona.

"We both know that you won't stop until you do get back in. You need to move on! You have a life here!" Fiona stood from her stool and walked towards the door.

"This job was a part of my life!"

"Michael you're different now." Fiona's voice grew quieter. "Miami has changed you. You can't think that you can get your job back and everything will be the same as it was before."

"The job didn't change. I can still make a difference there. I'm the same person."

"You are not the same! You have a life to actually miss now! You're not the same kid who had no one to trust. You have a family now, with your mom, Nate, Sam, Jesse, and I. How could you just walk away?"

"I'm not just walking away! Maybe I'm not the same but I'm still good at what I do!"

"The only thing that's going to happen is you're going to get a bullet in your head, and they won't even care. You're nothing to them Michael! They don't care if you die! You're just another replaceable operative."

"Fi,"

"No Michael!" Fiona interrupted him. "I'm tired of having this same conversation every time you get the idea in your head! You're damn lucky I can't go back home to Ireland!" With that she stormed out the door and drove away.

XxXxXx

"Hello?"

"Michael, arrangements have been made. Time for you to meet your new best friend."

"When, and where?"

"Half an hour at the Westside bar. William will be waiting for you. You'll figure out who he is."

"Thanks Jeremiah."

XxXxXx

Four men sat at the bar. An over weight man with a stained tank top, two guys in their early twenties having a beer, and another kid about the same age wearing a suit sitting alone at the end of the bar. He seemed to be scanning the crowd through his sunglasses.

After looking at all the people sitting at tables Michael made his way over to the bar. "William?" Michael sat next to the guy at the end of the bar, who removed his glasses and nodded.

"You must be Michael."

William Butler:

Rookie