Sarah sat across from Agent Donovan, her hands resting on the table while her fingers were laced together "So, what's going on Agent Donovan?" she asked him.
Agent Donovan opened a file and began to show surveillance pictures to her "These were taken yesterday." He said.
Sarah pulled them closer to her, the pictures were of Emma and a slightly disguised Joe Carroll; the infamous beard back once again.
"Where were they?" Sarah asked.
"Potomac Mall." Agent Donovan remarked.
Sarah nodded slowly "What are you getting at, Agent Donovan?" she asked quietly.
Agent Donovan compiled the pictures back together as he cleared his throat "Both Ms. Hill and Joe Carroll are in Woodbridge, obviously. However, we can't confirm nor deny if they're truly watching you up close and personal or if his remark on the phone last night was just out of luck." He said, tapping his finger against the breakfast nook.
"I suggest that you and Ms. Weston go into protective custody effective immediately." He continued.
Sarah lost her breath "Have you discussed this with Mike?" she asked him.
Agent Donovan shook his head "It doesn't matter. You and Ms. Weston are in danger." He told her.
Sarah nodded, understanding where Agent Donovan was coming from; she licked her lips gently as she looked down at her hands and twiddled her thumbs, thinking everything through before looking back up at him "Where to?" she asked gently.
"Mike, wake up!" Sarah said, opening the closet door and grabbing the suitcase from the bottom corner.
Sarah threw the suitcase on the bed, hitting Mikes' knees as he opened his eyes to see Sarah packing up the suitcase with clothes "Where are you going?" he asked her.
"Donovan is putting Grace and me into protective custody until Joe and Emma are caught." She said, throwing a few books into the suitcase.
Mike sat up in bed "What?" he asked her.
Sarah shook her head "Mike, look, I know you want us here but Agent Donovan and I have agreed that it would be best for Grace to go somewhere safe—and no, I will not be taking her to Maine. The FBI already has a safe location prepped for us." She told him.
Mike followed Sarah into the bathroom as she grabbed her tooth and hair brushes "Sarah, lets talk about this, seriously! This is my daughter we're talking about!" Mike insisted.
"She's my daughter too Mike! And I'm just thinking what's best for her." She said as she threw the utensils into the suitcase.
Mike sighed "Sarah, stop!" he said, taking her arm and forcing her to face him "Listen to me, please!" he said, looking into her brown eyes "I don't know what he told you, but you don't have to go." He whispered to her.
Sarah swallowed hard "Mikey," she said, taking her arm back slowly "…Emma and Joe are here, and they're slowly reaching out to grab me and I can't risk the life of my child—I couldn't live with myself." She said.
"I'm packing Grace into an SUV, and we're going whether you want us to or not…somebody at some point has to protect her from you." She continued.
Mike looked down at Sarah, he shook his head softly and Sarah caught his hand "Mike, be the FBI agent…and let me be the parent." She told him.
He was silent for a moment "Does Grace understand what's going on?" he asked her.
Sarah nodded "We're leaving, it's not safe here…but you are going to stay and make it safe." She told him, retelling what she had told Grace.
"…is she packing herself?" he asked.
She shook her head "No, I just told her to pull out her suitcase and I'd take care of the rest." She told him.
Mike nodded "I'll get Grace packed." He said, walking around the bed and grabbing his jeans and shirt from the night before and getting dressed before walking down the hall.
Sarah took a moment to breathe, she honestly didn't want to do this but there weren't a lot of options left over to them; she walked back into the bathroom to collect the rest of her toiletries and didn't let another thought stop her in her tracks.
Mike buckled Grace into her car seat in the back of the SUV, he smiled as he looked at her with her Pea Coat all buttoned and her Madeline doll buckled in to the middle seat.
"Alright, now you and your mom have fun on your little adventure, alright?" he said, unbuttoning her pea coat to let her breathe.
Grace nodded "Okay, daddy."
"I love you. I love you so much!" he said.
"I love you too, daddy." Grace responded.
Mike leaned in and kissed his daughter before closing the door, meeting Sarah as she stopped in front of him "She's all buckled in?" Sarah asked him.
"Yeah. Got Madeline buckled in too." He said.
Sarah smiled "You're such a good daddy." She said.
Mike took the small of her back and walked her around the SUV where the empty passenger seat was waiting for her; she was just about to climb in when he took her shoulder and let Sarah turn to him gently.
He looked at her longingly, all these things he wanted to say but he couldn't waste any time beating around the bush as he leaned in and kissed Sarah.
Sarah let him get away with the kiss, forcing her way into his mouth before she abruptly stopped and pulled away "This doesn't change anything." She told him.
Mike smiled at her "Sure it doesn't." he responded sarcastically.
Sarah smiled "Bye, Mike." She said before climbing into the passenger seat with her purse.
Mike shut the door for her as she buckled into her seat; he didn't know when he would hear from either of them or when he'd see them again, which is why he kissed them both so hard as he watched the SUV back out of the drive way.
He waved to the shadow of a tiny hand that belonged to Grace as the SUV drove down the street with the escort of other FBI vehicles; his heart broke but he couldn't dwindle in it for long as Agent Donovan stood next to him in the semi-vacant drive way.
"We just got a call from headquarters, apparently Ms. Hill and Joe Carroll were spotted 5 minutes ago at a Quickie Mart just 10 miles from here." He told Mike.
Mike nodded "Okay, lets go." He said, walking back inside to retrieve his jacket.