Author's notes:

This chapter includes the beautiful scene at the park that happened in the season finale! Obviously, I do not own some of the exchanges featured in this chapter.

"It's strange being alive again."

On Friday, June 9th, Michael went shopping again. For a swimsuit! Mike wanted to go to the pool and Michael figured that he'd better buy himself a swimsuit considering his son's love for the water. Sara took also the opportunity to buy a new laptop that would help with the search of their new home. They had a good time at the pool and were all hungry when they arrived at the hotel's restaurant for lunch. About 45 minutes later, a waiter came to clean their plates when Lincoln was asking Mike if he wanted a dessert. He had seen his nephew eyeing the dessert menu for quite some time and handed it to him.

Having witnessed the exchange, the waiter asked Mike in a joking tone: "Do you think your father will let you have one?"

Noticing that the waiter had pointed at Lincoln in the process, Mike politely replied: "This is my uncle." Then, he indicated Michael who was in front of him and added: "That's my father." He had a big smile on his lips when he ended the sentence.

Michael's heart swelled with pride and he had a smile mirroring Mike's. He tried to play it cool but hearing his son correct the waiter and call him his father was big for him. Sara did her best to conceal how emotional she was suddenly feeling and squeezed Michael's thigh under the table to let him know that she was sharing that important moment with him.

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They were crossing the lobby that they heard a feminine voice on their right: "I hope freedom is treating you well!" Michael recognized its owner immediately even he barely knew her. He welcomed Sheba and formally introduced her to Sara and Mike. Lincoln was the last one to greet her as it took him a moment to recover from the surprise of seeing her there. Michael had been the one to contact her and suggest that they meet. She had gladly accepted. First and foremost, she wanted to thank Michael in person for his more than generous donation. But she was also curious to meet the rest of his family and, if she was completely honest with herself, she had missed Lincoln. They had left things rather abruptly but not before he had kissed her! Now that they were not running for their lives, she wanted to see if there was more to their relationship than a mutual attraction, stolen glances and an unexpected kiss.

Seeing that the sun was out, Sara suggested that they all went to a nearby park. It was less crowded than on the weekend and Sara found a quiet spot on a hill that overlooked a beautiful plant sculpture representing an owl. After their visit at the zoo the day before and their encounter with a very special bird, she was amused by the coincidence. She unfolded the blanket that she had brought with her and sat down with Mike and Sheba. Lincoln and Michael were trailing behind, which, Sara suspected, was no accident. Her brother-in-law was probably still processing what Sheba's presence meant to him and he preferred to clear his head before joining her again and potentially having a discussion about their future.

Michael was sitting with Lincoln a little higher on the hill, out of ear shot but close enough to be able to see Sara, Mike and Sheba. He spoke first: "It's strange being alive again. Not running."

"Yeah. I've been running too."

"I know."

"Why did you call her?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't."

He had a point, Lincoln thought. "What's really strange is things actually working out."

"Yeah." When Michael saw Lincoln get up and take a few steps towards the others, he added: "I love you."

"I love you too", Lincoln replied. He continued to walk and sat down next to Sheba. Maybe things were going to work out with her too, he mused.

Michael stayed on his own for another minute enjoying the view of his family in front of him. He could see Sara's tattoo on her shoulder thanks to her sleeveless dress. He had always found his wife gorgeous but there was something terribly sexy about Sara with tattoos on her body. He had never considered his own tattoos sexy or attractive in any way. They had served a purpose and for that he was grateful. But he would forever be a marked man, wearing on his skin parts of his plan to regain freedom and return home to his wife and son. Michael's thoughts were interrupted by Sara when she got up, closely followed by Mike, and they walked towards him.

"I think your son wants to play soccer", she offered simply, a small smile escaping from her lips.

"Aren't you going to join us?" Michael asked.

"Have you seen these sandals, Michael? They're not made for soccer. I'm going to buy us some water but feel free to show your best moves to Mike!"

Mike chuckled and dropped the ball in front of him. They started by passing the ball to each other, then, when he realized that his father wasn't as bad as his mother, he proposed a little game of one on one. They delimited a space for the "goal" and alternated between attack and defense. At some point, Mike pretended to go left but ended up going right, passing the ball in between Michael's legs. He kicked the ball into their makeshift goal and turned around to face his father. "I got you, Daddy!" he exclaimed, grinning, with his fist in the air.

Michael once again tried to downplay the intensity of the moment and replied in what he hoped sounded a normal voice: "You sure did, Mike." He was grinning just like him.

Sara who was on her way back hadn't missed the interactions between father and son. She wasn't sure if she was going to get used to seeing them together. Her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest and she beamed when she thought about her beautiful family. Her family. She stopped in her tracks to admire the two playing with the ball, enjoying themselves and completely oblivious to the rest of the world. At some point, she saw Mike attempt to trick his father once again but Michael didn't take the bait. Instead, he grabbed his son by the waist and held him up so that his feet were not touching the grass anymore. Mike tried to free himself but the only result was to increase his father's hold on him, which had him shriek in laughter.

"It's not fair, Dad! Let me go!"

Sara chose that moment to make her presence known and admonished her husband playfully: "Come on, Michael, you know this is not how we play soccer!"

"Really?! Sorry but I haven't played since LJ was probably Mike's age", he replied just as playfully, finally putting his son down. Then he addressed him with an innocent look: "I can't do that, Mike?!"

Mike laughed: "No, you can't!"

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Later that day, Michael, Sara and Mike were about to part with Lincoln and Sheba when Lincoln talked to Mike: "I hope your parents let you have dessert tonight, Mikey!" He winked for good measure and wished them a good evening. It would be only Sara, Mike and him for the first time and Michael knew exactly where he wanted to bring them and eat supper.

While they were in the car, Mike inquired: "Is Sheba Uncle Lincoln's girlfriend?"

"What do you think, baby?" Sara countered.

Mike pondered his response and stated: "I think she is."

"Me too."

Michael didn't say a word but he shared their opinion. He smiled to himself: Whip had seen right through Lincoln's gruff attitude and dismissive comment about Sheba since the beginning. Five minutes later, he stopped in front of Morelli's, Syracuse's finest steakhouse. Michael was on a mission…

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"Do you know what you want, Mike?" Michael asked.

"Do you?" Mike answered back. "You barely looked at the menu. You too, Mom."

"That's because we know what we're getting, Mike", Michael explained with an affectionate smile.

"What's that?"

"Filet mignon", Sara replied before Michael had the time to.

"What's filet mignon?"

"It's one of the best pieces of meat you'll ever taste", Sara claimed.

Mike's decision was unequivocal: "I'll have that too, then."

Of course, Michael and Sara thought. Of course.

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"You know, Michael, you could have made an effort this morning: Mike and I have matching outfits but you are wearing a plain dark shirt!"

"I have matching socks", he defended himself, showing his off-white striped socks. "Please tell me that counts!"

Sara laughed out loud. She hadn't noticed Michael's new socks yet. He was correct, they were matching after all. She asked Michael to sit next to her and Mike in their booth and grabbed her phone. Michael was the one who ultimately took a picture of the three of them. Their first official picture as a family. When Sara inspected Michael's shot, she couldn't help but tear up at their bright smiles. She would frame it and hang it in their new house! The Scofields were looking good, she thought proudly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Later, when they were in bed and Mike was asleep, Sara said: "Thank you for supper tonight. It was delicious!"

"It was my pleasure, Sara. And, if I may add, it was about time we had our date!"

Sara chuckled quietly in the dark room. "Good things come to those who wait", she stated philosophically.

"Since when are you optimistic?!"

"Maybe since I met a guy who was?" Sara felt Michael's smile on the skin of her neck when he kissed her there. Cuddling in bed had quickly become one of their favorite moments of the day. With so little time with just the two of them since their reunion, it was what they allowed themselves without reservation: talking and cuddling in the quiet of their room at night. After seven years when they couldn't, it felt good to be able to reconnect physically and emotionally.

"I hope it's okay that we went with Mike. I mean, I thought that if we had gone in Miami, he would have been there too since you were pregnant with him. Now, the only difference was that we had to order his own meal…"

"It was perfect, Michael. Absolutely perfect."