Olivia sat in the rather expensive taxi, her hand gripping the side of the door, tapping it anxiously as the car bumped along the dusty road.
Michael, who sat next to her, glanced over, sensing her restlessness. His hand slid over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, a silent gesture of reassurance.
"You okay?" Michael asked softly, his blue eyes scanning her face.
Liv turned her head slightly, meeting his gaze. She nodded, but the tension in her posture didn't ease. "Yeah. Just... gonna miss you."
Michael's face, a small, almost sad smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "If the plan works, you'll be seeing me almost every day."
"Yeah, but you'll be in a prison outfit and behind bars. Not exactly my idea of quality time," Liv replied, her voice laced with sarcasm but a tinge of sadness underlying her words. "It won't be the same." She tapped anxiously on the window, her fingers drumming a rhythm against the glass as if trying to release the nervous energy bubbling inside her.
Michael's hand remained on hers, his thumb stroking gently. "This is temporary. You know that," he said softly, his voice steady, though Liv could hear the weight of uncertainty behind his words. "Once we get Lincoln out... things will be different."
Liv nodded, her jaw clenched slightly as she tore her gaze away from him, staring out at the bank that was drawing nearer and nearer. She wanted to believe him. She needed to. But deep down, the gnawing fear that something could go wrong—it was always there, lurking beneath the surface.
But she had to be strong for Michael. He needed her to be strong, especially now. With every bump in the road, she felt her heart race, the weight of the plan pressing down on her. She turned back to him, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Things will be different." Olivia nodded to Michael, her voice firmer than her heart felt. She squeezed his hand back, trying to channel her resolve into that small gesture.
Michael's gaze softened, and he studied her face, as if trying to memorize every detail before the inevitable separation. His blue eyes were hypnotizing, drawing her in. The taxi pulled up to the bank, but In that moment, the world outside faded away, and it felt like it was just the two of them, suspended in a bubble of unspoken promises and fears.
"Liv," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "I will come back home for you. No matter what happens." The sincerity in his tone sent a shiver down her spine, igniting a flicker of hope within her, even as doubt clawed at the edges of her mind.
She swallowed hard, blinking back the moisture gathering in her eyes. "You better," she teased lightly, attempting to mask her fear with humor. But the tension remained, thickening the air between them.
Michael opened his arms and shifted towards her, and pulled her into a tight embrace. She melted into him, inhaling the familiar scent of him—the cologne she bought him during his birthday a few years ago that he said was his favorite, and a hint of his shampoo. The warmth of his body enveloped her, and for a moment, all her fears faded away.
Time seemed to pause as they held each other, the chaos outside the car fading into a distant memory.
"I'll be counting the days," she murmured against his shoulder, the words muffled but filled with genuine promise.
"And I'll be counting on you," he replied, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes. "See you in court. Send Sam and LJ my love." The driver told them it was time to go, and Olivia pulled away reluctantly, feeling the weight of reality settle back in.
Olivia gave him a reassuring smile, and with a final squeeze of his hand and Michael giving her a smile back, he grabbed his duffel bag and slid out of the taxi, the warm sun illuminating the anxious determination on his face.
Olivia's heart sank a little as she watched him move, her pulse racing with the knowledge that this was it—everything they'd worked for was about to unfold.
The driver asked where to go, and Olivia replied with her address, and then took her flip phone out, dialing a number and waiting as the other line answered.
"Hi... is this Fox River Penatary? I heard from a friend there was a job opening over in the nurse department? I would love to apply... Yes, I have the credentials. I'd be available to start immediately. Can I come in for an interview?"
"Rarely in a case of armed robbery do we hear a plea of no contest. Are you sure about this, Mr. Scofield?" The Judge's voice carried a tone of disbelief as they leaned forward, gavel in hand.
Michael sat in the defendant's chair, calm and collected, almost a cocky look in his eyes as his hands were clasped together in front of him.
"I'm sure, your honor." Michael replied, ignoring Veronica's eyes bugging out of her head in disbelief. She had fought tooth and nail to clear his name, yet here he was, willingly throwing it all away. The courtroom buzzed with murmurs, the tension rising as everyone tried to make sense of his decision.
"Your honor, I'd like to recess if we could. My clients a bitconfusedat the moment." Veronica glared at Michael, hoping she'd convince the judge to give them a moment.
"I'm not, your honor." Michael looked at the Judge, his gaze steady and unwavering.
"He is, your honor." Veronica shot a desperate glance at Michael, her frustration palpable.
"Perhaps you should heed your representations advice, take some additional time to consider your response." The Judge interjected, looking between Michael and Veronica with a furrowed brow.
"I've already done that, your honor." Michael finally looked at Veronica, their eyes locking as Veronica's expression shifted from frustration to concern. She could see the determination in Michael's eyes, but she couldn't understand why he'd want to plead no contest.
"I'll retire to my chambers to determine sentencing." The Judge rapped the gavel, the sound echoing through the tense silence of the courtroom. "Courts recessed until 1:30."
Michael turned his head towards the crowd as stood up to be detained by officers, only to see LJ, Olivia, and Samantha sitting in the front.
LJ and Sam looked like their hearts were breaking, their expressions a mix of confusion and desperation. Olivia, on the other hand, was calm, knowing that beneath Michael's collected exterior lay a storm of unspoken thoughts and plans.
He gave her a look, one that meant it would be okay, and it made her heart flutter despite the chaos surrounding them, and then turned to his nephew and surrogate niece.
"Uncle Mike?" LJ stood up, his voice cracking. Samantha was silent as she stood up with him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. She looked to Olivia for reassurance, and Olivia offered a small nod, though her heart felt heavy.
"Go home LJ and Sam. I didn't want you to see this." Michael said, his voice steady but tinged with regret. He knew the pain his decision was causing them, but he believed it was the only way to protect them and the plan.
"Why did you let them come?" He turned to Olivia, who gave him a small, understanding smile, though the worry in her eyes remained.
"They begged me to drive them here, Mike." Olivia replied softly as he was handcuffed by the officers. She gently took the hands of both teenagers, and squeezed it as Michael was taken away.
"Stay here until I'm back." She whispered to them, and followed the officers and Michael to where Veronica was. Olivia could hear their conversation as she caught up with them.
"They're not gonna take this well." Michael commented to Veronica, and Olivia heard a scoff, and the cell shutting.
"Can you blame them? He's your nephew and she's practically your niece. They're beginning to get the idea that anybody they attach themselves to is gonna end up in prison... and they're not the only one that's starting to feel that way, Michael." Veronica looked up at Michael as the cell doors were shut, and her eyes lit up as she saw Olivia walking towards them.
"Liv!,"Veronica greeted, her voice a mix of frustration and relief. "Maybe you can talk some sense into him. Can you believe him?! He won't even plead guilty!" Veronica threw her hands up in exasperation, pacing in front of the cell.
Olivia turned to the guard. "Can you give us a minute, please?" She asked, before turning back to her two best friends. The guard hesitated, glancing at the two women before nodding and stepping outside the room.
Olivia turned to Michael, who stood behind the bars, calm and unflinching, despite the storm of emotions swirling around him. She crossed her arms, leaning against the cold metal of the cell door, eyes fixed on him.
"Michael, are you sure you want to do this?" She already knew the answer, but had to keep up the ruse. Neither of them wanted Veronica to get involved more than she was trying to, didn't want her to get hurt in the process.
Michael met Olivia's gaze, his blue eyes unwavering, the calm exterior still masking the deeper turmoil beneath. "Completely sure."
Olivia bit her lip, fingers brushing against his that were poking out of the cell. Then turned to Veronica, anticipating her reaction. "I can't do anything about this, V."
Veronica gaped at Michael. "Are you both out of your minds?" she asked incredulously. "This is suicide! You plead no contest, you're throwing your entire life away—everything we've worked for!" Her voice was shaking, her frustration at its peak.
She turned to Olivia, all pleading eyes and concern and suspicion. "Liv, I expected you to yell or scream or try to scare him out of it, but you're just standing there, saying you can't do anything about this? You're his best friend! If anyone can get through to him, it's you."
Olivia sighed, her heart aching as she met Veronica's desperate gaze. She knew how much Veronica cared, how hard she'd been fighting for Michael's freedom, but Olivia also knew that Michael's plan was more intricate than Veronica could grasp. He wasn't throwing his life away—he was putting it on the line for something far bigger.
"V," Olivia began softly, her voice steady, though laced with quiet intensity, "You know that when Michael sets his mind on something, there's no changing it. And as much as it kills me to watch him do this, if this is what he wants-to plead no contest, he's a grown man, he can make his own decisions." Her eyes glitted back to Michael, who was already looking at her with a knowing gaze.
Veronica's eyes then flitted from concern and confusion to suspicion. Suspicion at the fact that Olivia-fiery, protective , and fiercely loyal Olivia-seemed to be standing by Michael's reckless decision instead of fighting against it and slapping him upside the head like Veronica thought she would.
"You're saying that as if you know something I don't," Veronica snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Don't you understand! He just put the book in that woman's hand! And she's gonna lob it at him like a grenade! Justice and punishment are the same thing to her!"
"I know." Michael said, his voice steady, cutting through the tension that hung in the air like a thick fog. He licked his lips as he shifted slightly, his hands curling around the bars as he leaned forward, his expression resolute.
"Then will you please tell me what's going on in your head! Both of you!" Veronica exclaimed, her voice rising in exasperation. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the anxiety in the room was palpable.
"I know you wouldn't just rob a bank for the hell of it, I've known you my entire life. You don't have a violent bone in your body, and you don't need the money. I also know that the Olivia that I know would have slapped you by now for this madness!"
"Veronica-" Michael tried to interrupt, but Veronica cut him off, her voice rising with passion.
"No, let me finish! I just want to know why you're doing this. Why are you pushing everyone away when we could fight together? We've always fought together! You can't expect me to stand by and let you self-destruct!Why won't you let me help you!?"
Olivia felt her heart twist at Veronica's words, the pain in her eyes reflecting the turmoil inside. She grabbed Veronica's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as a way to ground her.
She took a breath, and it wasn't hard to play the part as if she didn't know why he was suddenly doing this. She took the sadness, and channeled it. "Michael, V is right. You can't just do this by yourself. You need to let us help you."
Michael sensed the double meaning in her words, and was reminded of her words a few days ago. 'But you have to promise me something too. No more guilt trips. We're in this together, and I won't let you shoulder all the weight.' He pursed his lips, and nodded at Olivia, knowing full well the weight of her words.
"Veronica, you've been good to me. My whole life, you have. Olivia, you've been by my side through everything. You've always stood by me, even when I didn't deserve it. I love you both." The sincerity in his voice hit like a wave, and Olivia felt her throat tighten. Michael paused, his eyes darting between the two women. "But you've got to let me deal with this. Okay?"
Olivia took a deep breath, steadying herself, her fingers still wrapped around Veronica's hand. She could feel the tension radiating off her friend, but Michael's calm, steady gaze made it clear—he had made his decision. And it wasn't a reckless one; it was part of the plan. She just wished Veronica could see that too.
Veronica tightened her grip on Olivia's hand, huffed, shaking her head, and left the room, clearly frustrated and overwhelmed. As the door clicked shut behind her, Olivia turned back to Michael, their eyes locking in the quiet aftermath.
"I'll calm her down later. But she'll figure it out eventually," Olivia said softly, stepping closer to the cell bars.
"Yeah," Michael agreed, his voice low. "But by then, it'll be too late. The wheels are already in motion. Did you get the job?"
"Yeah, I did. Got myself a brand new ID. Get prepared for calling me Nurse Rebecca, starting this week, it'll be your halloween fantasies coming early." Olivia teased, resting her hands against the cold steel, her fingers brushing his. Her face suddenly turned serious. "Are you okay?"
Michael lightly smiled at her, though the weight of what was coming hung heavy in the air. "I will be. Once this is over."
Olivia nodded, swallowing hard. The plan was dangerous, and no matter how much faith she had in him, the uncertainty gnawed at her. She went to leave, but his hand caught hers, fingers gently wrapping around her wrist.
"Liv," he whispered, his voice softer than before, a quiet urgency in his tone. She paused, turning back to face him, the dim light of the holding cell casting shadows on his face.
He met her gaze, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and something else—something unspoken. "Promise me... you'll be careful."
Olivia blinked, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity in his words. "Michael, I'm not the one going to prison," she said with a faint smile, trying to lighten the moment.
"Minutes over." She heard the guard outside call out. But Michael didn't smile back. His grip on her wrist tightened ever so slightly, just enough for her to feel the weight of what he was asking. His eyes, usually calm and calculating, were clouded with concern—concern for her, for what was to come.
"Promise me." His voice was low, almost pleading. Olivia felt her throat tighten as she met his gaze. The unspoken weight between them made her heart clench, but she knew why he was asking. He wasn't just worried about the plan—he was worried about her. About the risks she was taking to help him.
She nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I promise."
Michael's grip on her wrist softened, his thumb brushing against her skin, lingering for a moment longer before letting go. The guard stepped forward, signaling that their time was truly up. Olivia took a step back, the cold air of the hallway rushing against her as she turned toward the door to go back to the court.
"I'll see you soon, Michael," she said softly, trying to hide the mix of fear and determination swirling inside her.
"Stay safe, Liv," he called after her, his voice filled with quiet intensity. She didn't look back, but his words stayed with her as she walked out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the dimly lit hall.
And as she comforted LJ and Sam when the judge sentenced him to 5 years of jail in Fox River Penitary, and gave Veronica a comforting glance, Olivia watched Michael being led away in handcuffs.
And she knew this was only the beginning.