Sara arrived at the restaurant with five minutes to spare. She found a table close to the window and waited for her friend. She and Katie had been slowly trying to rebuild their friendship over the last year. It hadn't been easy. After visiting Sara in the hospital right after the escape, they hadn't spoken. Katie had went back to work at Fox River and Sara had jumped bail and went on the run with Michael and Lincoln.
When they'd all returned to the States, she had thought about trying to get in touch with Katie again but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. Then walking out of the prison after a visit with Michael she had ran into her coming back from lunch.
Katie did a double take. It couldn't be, but she knew that her eyes were not deceiving her. It was Sara. But why was she here? Sara spotted her then and she stopped walking. They both stared at each other for a minute but Sara was the first to recover. She closed the distance between them.
"Hello Katie. How have you been?"
"I've been fine, and you?"
"I'm good, thanks."
Katie had to ask, "So what brings you to Fox River?" As soon as she saw Sara begin to pull at the sleeves of her jacket, she knew the answer. Before Sara could form the words, Katie voiced her suspicion, "You're here to see Michael Scofield."
It was a statement not a question, Sara knew. "Yes. I was here to see Michael."
The look of utter disappointment filled Katie's eyes and she began to shack her head. "Sara I thought after the first time that con fooled you, you would have learned your lesson. What kind of a hold does that man have over you?"
Sara couldn't blame her friend. The last time they had spoken Sara had been sure Michael hadn't really cared about her. That he had just used her as a means to an end. Sara took a deep breath and offered what she could, "It's a long story Katie. A really long story, but if your willing…I will share it with you."
Katie just looked at her and then said, "Look Sara, I have to get inside or I am going to be late." Katie began to move toward the staff entrance but turned just outside the gate. "How about lunch? Saturday?"
Sara was so grateful her friend was willing that she didn't hesitate, "Saturday sounds great. Twelve o'clock at Benny's?
Katie just nodded and made her way inside.
After the lunch they had shared that week, the lunches had continued. On the Saturday's when both of them were free from work, they would meet. However after that first meeting when Sara had tried to explain her feelings for Michael and their situation, it had become a silent agreement to ban him from their conversations.
Sara saw her friend enter the restaurant and waived her over. Katie took a seat and the waiter came over to get her drink order. Once the waiter moved away, Katie took a long look at her friend and it was then she noticed the ring on her left hand. "Sara, is there something you want to tell me?"
Sara had been in the middle of taking a drink of her water when Katie had spoken. After swallowing, she sat her glass down and braced herself for the reaction she knew was coming. "Michael asked me to marry him last night."
Katie kept her voice and her face expressionless. "And it looks as though you said yes."
"Yes. I did." Sara knew she needed to say more here. "Katie I know you don't approve of my relationship with Michael, but you don't know him like I do. I love him. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Sara stopped to brace herself before she said, "Will you at least spend some time with him Katie and try to get to know him a little. We are getting married and I would really like for you to be there."
Katie had been silent through this and before she could say anything in response the waiter brought her drink. They both ordered their lunch and she waited until he left their table again before saying anything. "Your right."
"What?" Sara said a little shocked. "What do you mean I'm right?"
"I mean I agree with you." Katie took a sip of her drink and resumed as if there had been no interruption. "I don't know if I will ever agree with your decision Sara, but it is your life and you've chosen to make him part of it. I know you well enough to realize that your feelings for him are real. Whatever else I feel about what happened is irrelevant at this point. So, when do you think I will be able to meet the real Michael Scofield?"
Sara didn't know what to say. She had expected to get an ear full from her friend and instead had gotten a peace offering. She reached out her hand and grasped Katie's across the table. "Thank you."
Katie smiled. "It looks like our food is here."
Sara returned the smile and they dug in.