Early Birthday Fic for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kentuckybelle
May. 3rd, 2004 12:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
catch22girlI know it's early but I wanted to give you time to read this before the show made the following events impossible. Happy early birthday dear!
Birthday Fic for Kentuckybelle
Title: Sing for Absolution
Author: Catch22Girl
Fandom: 24
Pairing: Tony/Michelle
Spoilers: Up to 3x20
Summary: Birthday fic for Steph. Post Day 3 – a reunion and a confession.
Disclaimer: Characters and most events aren't mine; they belong to Real Time Productions and FOX. The title is from a song by Muse.
Author's note: Based on events up to 3x20. AU after that. Thanks to Saffy for recommending this inspirational music. Happy Birthday to Steph! You rock and I hope you’re having a great day.
Sing for Absolution
Anger vanishes in the face of adversity.
A few hours ago, Michelle was so angry that her hands were in fists under the table. She had forced herself to be calm and capable as she felt Tony slipping further and further away.
But, then, the outbreak happened and there was just a rush of love and fear unlike any she'd ever known.
It’s funny how imminent death put everything into perspective.
Watching people die horribly -- Gael, the head of security, the other nameless victims – she couldn’t help but think of everything she'd failed to accomplish in life.
She knew she was getting very close to hitting the glass ceiling at CTU and had been putting off children because she kept waiting for a perfect moment that might never arrive. The job had always seemed so important, but watching what she believed were the last hours of her life tick away, she knew that she'd been mistaken.
It was so hard to work to help the rest of LA while trying to ignore the stifling pressure and terror. Never again would she look at a nosebleed the same way. Worse, watching the quarantine zones outside grow and knowing she was powerless to do anything. It was hard for Michelle not to blame herself for Cole’s escape.
Then, getting the test results, and her relief and joy at being healthy - amazingly miraculously okay. Tony's shocked and relieved voice on the phone. And most of all, finally thinking it was okay to exchange I love yous. Not as a goodbye but as a promise of things to come.
Sitting tied to this chair, watching men walk around sometimes looking down at their phones it was hard to remember those moments of happiness. The tape on her mouth was making breathing difficult and it would be so easy to panic. A camera was set up to record every movement. She could only imagine where the signal was going. Her deepest fear was that she was being used to control her husband.
The men were, she knew, waiting for orders.
'Orders to kill me' she thought to herself.
"It's almost one, when the hell is Saunders going to call?" One of the men asked impatiently.
'I've been up over 24 hours', she realized suddenly. How long ago did yesterday morning feel? She remembered Tony's arm around her waist and his soft breathing in her ear, she remembered the feel of his hands against her body and how she'd pushed him away laughing saying that he had to get to work and they'd have plenty of time later. He had needed to go in early.
Michelle always thought there’d be plenty of time later. No more time. She wished she'd just turned over and held him tighter instead of telling him to go.
She'd gotten out of bed and put on that dark outfit he loved, she could still remember the heat in his eyes when she arrived at work. His look that said 'my office has tinted glass' and oh, when he got the call they were going to really have some fun. But then one thing went wrong after another --
The pain in her arm was starting to make itself known, but all in all she probably preferred being tied to being held by that man with his strong hands and sour breath.
A burst of hysteria threatened to escape - preferred, did she ever have to consider it? No, that was one of the advantages of not being a field agent or a target.
'But you're obviously a target' she thought.
She closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds around her and tried to move her wrists - no, it was useless.
Her eyes snapped open as the men started arguing.
"We should just kill her and get out of here, something's obviously gone wrong!" One of them was shouting.
"No, Saunders said not to do anything until he called." Another one answered, leaning against the wall.
"I think you're right, we should just kill her before..." A voice from behind Michelle said.
He was cut off by the sound of gunfire outside and the door burst open in a flash of light.
SWAT rushed in and surrounded them. The men didn't even try to shoot, they just surrendered and a woman in black riot gear knelt next to Michelle. She undid Michelle’s bonds.
Michelle rubbed her wrists and moved her mouth after the tape was removed.
"Are you hurt?" The SWAT woman asked.
"No, I'm fine," Michelle said, slightly surprised at her scratchy voice and how it hurt slightly to move her lips.
"We need to get you to a hospital anyway!" the SWAT woman had to yell to be heard over the other voices.
A phone was handed to her. She said a series of "Yes Sirs" and then handed the phone over to Michelle.
"Hello?"
"Michelle? Oh God, Michelle..."
That breathy scared voice could only be one person. "Tony," she swallowed painfully. "Tony," she said again, unable to speak more, afraid of breaking down in front of the SWAT team.
***
Her voice was the sweetest music he'd ever heard.
"Are you okay?" Tony asked her as he turned away from Jack who was wiping blood off his hands slowly almost meticulously.
"Yes, still in one piece," she answered and Tony felt the tension leave his body, replaced by a level of relief he hadn't thought it was possible to feel twice in a lifetime, let alone twice in a five hour period. "They want to take me to the hospital and I have to go."
"Okay, I'll see you soon. I'll see you soon." He repeated and closed his cell.
He looked back over at Jack and there was something not quite sane in his expression - but he'd gotten Saunders to give up Michelle's location so maybe that was okay.
"I'm glad you were able to find her in time." Jack said honestly.
Tony had wanted to interrogate the bastard himself but Jack had pointed out that his emotions could take over and they couldn't kill him - yet.
Besides, if anyone could get someone to talk, it was Jack.
Tony had watched Jack's patience grow thinner and thinner until he resorted to physical torment. Although, Jack was already on the edge before the interrogation began.
It was one of the most violent interrogations Tony had ever seen - but at no point did he even think of stopping him.
"Thanks," Tony said and felt absurdly like hugging him.
"Hammond's coming by soon," Jack said softly.
Tony nodded and the constant pain in his neck was actually something he'd gotten used to. That meant he was going to have to answer for his actions. If someone had told him 24 hours ago he would be in danger of going to jail for treason, he would have thought they were nuts.
But, love makes you do crazy things and when he saw Michelle in that position, he could have ripped out Saunders's throat with his bare hands.
In that moment, he suddenly understood how Jack could have almost shot Palmer, how he did anything Gaines asked, how he probably would have killed Tony if it was demanded - that kind of love, you're powerless against it.
"You'd better go before he gets here." Jack said and walked back to the interrogation room. They still needed the location of the other vials.
Tony ran through CTU and to his car. He was a fugitive, but one who was going to see his wife soon.
Jack would cover for him as long as possible. But, after today, everyone knew there were going to be some major personnel changes. It didn't matter. Work, which had always seemed so damn important, was the furthest thing from Tony's mind as he drove towards the hospital.
***
At the hospital, Tony flashed his ID and found out that Michelle was being held in isolation - continuing the interrupted NHS quarantine.
He reached the room and entered. She was behind the glass like a museum exhibit, pacing, only stopping when she saw him.
Without saying a word he turned to the guard and asked him to leave, pulling rank when he hesitated.
Then, they were alone, just staring at each other, the first time in hours.
"Hi," she said, an inadequate word but the smile on her face made it perfect.
"Hi," he said back, immediately, wanting to slip through the glass and melt into her arms.
"Twelve more hours," she said touching the dividing wall.
He could only nod, impressed all over again at her strength as he lay his hand against the cool glass and felt vaguely like she was a prisoner and he was visiting her in jail. Maybe this analogy came to his head because it was very possibly his future.
"I'm going to be okay," she said, but was pursing her lips and looking down. When she looked up, tears were slipping down her face. "Tony, I have to know --" she started.
It was what he'd feared. He only hoped she could forgive him.
"There was a camera," she closed her eyes. "Was Saunders controlling you through me?"
Tony knew there was also a camera in the hospital room and although he wanted to tell her the truth he wasn't sure he wanted a confession on video. Not that it mattered, even if he knew the outcome he still would have done the same thing -- not much comfort to the people dying in San Francisco right now.
"Yes, he made me help him escape," he admitted and watched her expression change instantly, her hand covering her mouth, shaking her head slightly as if unable to believe him.
"Tony," she breathed.
"But we got him, Michelle. We got him and we made him talk and it's all over," he said quickly. "I know that it was wrong but when -- I couldn't let them hurt you." He finished softly, wanting to touch her skin, hold her against his chest and just know that this was all over.
"What's going to happen?" She asked, always practical, he could almost see her pushing her emotions aside.
"I don't know. When they find out --" He turned slightly to look at the surveillance camera in the corner. "Well, forget about that job at Langley. I'll be lucky if I can escape prison."
Her eyes showed concern and he wasn't even aware how afraid he was of her reaction until this moment.
"Did any more vials get released?"
This was when he wished he could lie to her.
"Yes. One on the Golden Gate Bridge,” he said.
She looked up at him, asking silently how many dead.
"Everyone was told to say inside...there weren't many casualties." He mumbled, feeling himself horribly close to breaking down. "Maybe if I hadn't given in to Saunders they'd still be alive but he had that knife to your eye and I would have done anything he asked -- anything." He stared into her eyes and hoped she would see the truth of his words.
She leaned her head against the glass and closed her eyes, "I probably would have done the same thing," she admitted softly. "But that isn't a reason to put my life above...we have a responsibility to the public."
"You would rather I stood by and let them torture you to death?" Tony asked incredulously.
When she looked up, her eyes were narrowed and expression determined. "What if he got away and released those vials in more major cities? Millions of lives gone to save mine - and they might have killed me anyway."
Before he could answer, she kept talking. "Even if they didn't, how do you think that would have made me feel, knowing that you put my life above the safety of millions?" She was looking at him in that way, her pupils moving back and forth, thinking and waiting for a response that would make everything okay.
'Does she want me to say I'm sorry?' he thought, stopping himself before exhaustion and impatience made him say something he'd regret.
The glass wall separating them was nothing compared to this new distance.
His phone rang. He ignored it and saw her pull away, watched the rest of his life play out in a series of moments.
***
Michelle heard his phone ring, wanted him to answer it, and needed to have a few moments where he wasn't looking at her.
She needed the distance, craved it actually. So moved away from Tony, sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her hands, at the ring still on her finger.
She closed her eyes, the world was starting to tunnel, exhaustion making it difficult to think straight.
He was still watching her, his cell phone starting to give her a headache.
She actually snapped, "Answer your phone already," surprised at the level of annoyance in her voice.
He looked wounded at her words and reached up to rub the back of his neck. A move she'd seen so many times before, in so many different contexts.
This one meant he was trying to comfort himself and her heart broke just a little at the thought of how much pain he had to be in.
Her resentment and anger melted away. She lay back on the bed, feeling her entire body pulled down by gravity, like falling.
"Tony, I need to sleep. I'll wake up and we'll talk more later," she tried to say but it came out more like "Tony...sleep...later."
She collapsed, her eyes closing, her legs still over the edge of the bed. Moving was impossible.
She woke up some time later to a suited nurse standing near her. "It's been over 12 hours. Your latest tests have come back. No sign of infection. You’re clean." The suited nurse said. "You can leave in the morning."
Michelle felt the pain in her legs instantly and silently cursed the bad sleeping position. "Can I go outside now?"
The nurse looked at her and opened the door into the suiting area. "I really don’t see why not."
After the nurse left, Michelle walked up to the door and it opened. She felt so much freer, even though the floor was cold against her bare feet and her legs were going to be cramped for days now.
The only person she wanted to see in the world was slumped in the chair, covered with a blanket.
She touched Tony’s shoulder - thinking, I'm touching his shoulder, he's here, I'm here, we've survived.
"Tony?" She whispered, touching his hand, his face, her fingertips relearning the curve of his neck.
"Michelle," he said instantly appearing slightly confused. "Aren't you....?"
"Over twelve hours. Clean bill of health," she said, hugging him lightly but then suddenly unable to let go of him, and all the anger and fear she had seemed to just go away as he wrapped his arms around her like he might never let her go.
"CTU called before you fell asleep. Jack thinks Hammond will be satisfied with our resignations. No jail time."
She tried to take in his words, but they weren't making sense -- resignation?
"Yeah, mine and his, but we were pretty much expecting it. You're, uh, apparently the new head of CTU. Hammond wants to talk to you tomorrow."
She blinked, trying to process the information. "You're saying that I'm...?"
"You deserve it."
"But what are you going to do? You’ve been – “ she started to say.
"They'll never trust me in another intelligence job ever again. You were right," he said as he looked up at her. "Apparently putting your wife's life above those of your fellow citizens is against CTU policy. But that's okay, I'll go into the private sector, make more money. Or, maybe I'll just take a break for a while, whatever you want. I will follow you anywhere."
"Even as just the husband?" She leaned against him, feeling his heart beat against her chest.
"Well I have to go with you, sweetheart. I'm the only one who knows how to cook."
She laughed slightly - which was enough of a miracle because hours ago she'd swear she'd never smile again. But sleep made clear what her overtiredness could not see -- she could not really punish him for loving her more than the world because looking into his eyes, feeling his skin against hers, she knew that she too would do anything to keep him safe.
It was a scary powerful thing - that level of love and devotion.
Twenty-four hours after the virus outbreak, after she'd been positive her life was over, she was in Tony's arms and making plans for the future.
There would be time for mourning and guilt later. Now, she just wanted to be held.
Birthday Fic for Kentuckybelle
Title: Sing for Absolution
Author: Catch22Girl
Fandom: 24
Pairing: Tony/Michelle
Spoilers: Up to 3x20
Summary: Birthday fic for Steph. Post Day 3 – a reunion and a confession.
Disclaimer: Characters and most events aren't mine; they belong to Real Time Productions and FOX. The title is from a song by Muse.
Author's note: Based on events up to 3x20. AU after that. Thanks to Saffy for recommending this inspirational music. Happy Birthday to Steph! You rock and I hope you’re having a great day.
Sing for Absolution
Anger vanishes in the face of adversity.
A few hours ago, Michelle was so angry that her hands were in fists under the table. She had forced herself to be calm and capable as she felt Tony slipping further and further away.
But, then, the outbreak happened and there was just a rush of love and fear unlike any she'd ever known.
It’s funny how imminent death put everything into perspective.
Watching people die horribly -- Gael, the head of security, the other nameless victims – she couldn’t help but think of everything she'd failed to accomplish in life.
She knew she was getting very close to hitting the glass ceiling at CTU and had been putting off children because she kept waiting for a perfect moment that might never arrive. The job had always seemed so important, but watching what she believed were the last hours of her life tick away, she knew that she'd been mistaken.
It was so hard to work to help the rest of LA while trying to ignore the stifling pressure and terror. Never again would she look at a nosebleed the same way. Worse, watching the quarantine zones outside grow and knowing she was powerless to do anything. It was hard for Michelle not to blame herself for Cole’s escape.
Then, getting the test results, and her relief and joy at being healthy - amazingly miraculously okay. Tony's shocked and relieved voice on the phone. And most of all, finally thinking it was okay to exchange I love yous. Not as a goodbye but as a promise of things to come.
Sitting tied to this chair, watching men walk around sometimes looking down at their phones it was hard to remember those moments of happiness. The tape on her mouth was making breathing difficult and it would be so easy to panic. A camera was set up to record every movement. She could only imagine where the signal was going. Her deepest fear was that she was being used to control her husband.
The men were, she knew, waiting for orders.
'Orders to kill me' she thought to herself.
"It's almost one, when the hell is Saunders going to call?" One of the men asked impatiently.
'I've been up over 24 hours', she realized suddenly. How long ago did yesterday morning feel? She remembered Tony's arm around her waist and his soft breathing in her ear, she remembered the feel of his hands against her body and how she'd pushed him away laughing saying that he had to get to work and they'd have plenty of time later. He had needed to go in early.
Michelle always thought there’d be plenty of time later. No more time. She wished she'd just turned over and held him tighter instead of telling him to go.
She'd gotten out of bed and put on that dark outfit he loved, she could still remember the heat in his eyes when she arrived at work. His look that said 'my office has tinted glass' and oh, when he got the call they were going to really have some fun. But then one thing went wrong after another --
The pain in her arm was starting to make itself known, but all in all she probably preferred being tied to being held by that man with his strong hands and sour breath.
A burst of hysteria threatened to escape - preferred, did she ever have to consider it? No, that was one of the advantages of not being a field agent or a target.
'But you're obviously a target' she thought.
She closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds around her and tried to move her wrists - no, it was useless.
Her eyes snapped open as the men started arguing.
"We should just kill her and get out of here, something's obviously gone wrong!" One of them was shouting.
"No, Saunders said not to do anything until he called." Another one answered, leaning against the wall.
"I think you're right, we should just kill her before..." A voice from behind Michelle said.
He was cut off by the sound of gunfire outside and the door burst open in a flash of light.
SWAT rushed in and surrounded them. The men didn't even try to shoot, they just surrendered and a woman in black riot gear knelt next to Michelle. She undid Michelle’s bonds.
Michelle rubbed her wrists and moved her mouth after the tape was removed.
"Are you hurt?" The SWAT woman asked.
"No, I'm fine," Michelle said, slightly surprised at her scratchy voice and how it hurt slightly to move her lips.
"We need to get you to a hospital anyway!" the SWAT woman had to yell to be heard over the other voices.
A phone was handed to her. She said a series of "Yes Sirs" and then handed the phone over to Michelle.
"Hello?"
"Michelle? Oh God, Michelle..."
That breathy scared voice could only be one person. "Tony," she swallowed painfully. "Tony," she said again, unable to speak more, afraid of breaking down in front of the SWAT team.
***
Her voice was the sweetest music he'd ever heard.
"Are you okay?" Tony asked her as he turned away from Jack who was wiping blood off his hands slowly almost meticulously.
"Yes, still in one piece," she answered and Tony felt the tension leave his body, replaced by a level of relief he hadn't thought it was possible to feel twice in a lifetime, let alone twice in a five hour period. "They want to take me to the hospital and I have to go."
"Okay, I'll see you soon. I'll see you soon." He repeated and closed his cell.
He looked back over at Jack and there was something not quite sane in his expression - but he'd gotten Saunders to give up Michelle's location so maybe that was okay.
"I'm glad you were able to find her in time." Jack said honestly.
Tony had wanted to interrogate the bastard himself but Jack had pointed out that his emotions could take over and they couldn't kill him - yet.
Besides, if anyone could get someone to talk, it was Jack.
Tony had watched Jack's patience grow thinner and thinner until he resorted to physical torment. Although, Jack was already on the edge before the interrogation began.
It was one of the most violent interrogations Tony had ever seen - but at no point did he even think of stopping him.
"Thanks," Tony said and felt absurdly like hugging him.
"Hammond's coming by soon," Jack said softly.
Tony nodded and the constant pain in his neck was actually something he'd gotten used to. That meant he was going to have to answer for his actions. If someone had told him 24 hours ago he would be in danger of going to jail for treason, he would have thought they were nuts.
But, love makes you do crazy things and when he saw Michelle in that position, he could have ripped out Saunders's throat with his bare hands.
In that moment, he suddenly understood how Jack could have almost shot Palmer, how he did anything Gaines asked, how he probably would have killed Tony if it was demanded - that kind of love, you're powerless against it.
"You'd better go before he gets here." Jack said and walked back to the interrogation room. They still needed the location of the other vials.
Tony ran through CTU and to his car. He was a fugitive, but one who was going to see his wife soon.
Jack would cover for him as long as possible. But, after today, everyone knew there were going to be some major personnel changes. It didn't matter. Work, which had always seemed so damn important, was the furthest thing from Tony's mind as he drove towards the hospital.
***
At the hospital, Tony flashed his ID and found out that Michelle was being held in isolation - continuing the interrupted NHS quarantine.
He reached the room and entered. She was behind the glass like a museum exhibit, pacing, only stopping when she saw him.
Without saying a word he turned to the guard and asked him to leave, pulling rank when he hesitated.
Then, they were alone, just staring at each other, the first time in hours.
"Hi," she said, an inadequate word but the smile on her face made it perfect.
"Hi," he said back, immediately, wanting to slip through the glass and melt into her arms.
"Twelve more hours," she said touching the dividing wall.
He could only nod, impressed all over again at her strength as he lay his hand against the cool glass and felt vaguely like she was a prisoner and he was visiting her in jail. Maybe this analogy came to his head because it was very possibly his future.
"I'm going to be okay," she said, but was pursing her lips and looking down. When she looked up, tears were slipping down her face. "Tony, I have to know --" she started.
It was what he'd feared. He only hoped she could forgive him.
"There was a camera," she closed her eyes. "Was Saunders controlling you through me?"
Tony knew there was also a camera in the hospital room and although he wanted to tell her the truth he wasn't sure he wanted a confession on video. Not that it mattered, even if he knew the outcome he still would have done the same thing -- not much comfort to the people dying in San Francisco right now.
"Yes, he made me help him escape," he admitted and watched her expression change instantly, her hand covering her mouth, shaking her head slightly as if unable to believe him.
"Tony," she breathed.
"But we got him, Michelle. We got him and we made him talk and it's all over," he said quickly. "I know that it was wrong but when -- I couldn't let them hurt you." He finished softly, wanting to touch her skin, hold her against his chest and just know that this was all over.
"What's going to happen?" She asked, always practical, he could almost see her pushing her emotions aside.
"I don't know. When they find out --" He turned slightly to look at the surveillance camera in the corner. "Well, forget about that job at Langley. I'll be lucky if I can escape prison."
Her eyes showed concern and he wasn't even aware how afraid he was of her reaction until this moment.
"Did any more vials get released?"
This was when he wished he could lie to her.
"Yes. One on the Golden Gate Bridge,” he said.
She looked up at him, asking silently how many dead.
"Everyone was told to say inside...there weren't many casualties." He mumbled, feeling himself horribly close to breaking down. "Maybe if I hadn't given in to Saunders they'd still be alive but he had that knife to your eye and I would have done anything he asked -- anything." He stared into her eyes and hoped she would see the truth of his words.
She leaned her head against the glass and closed her eyes, "I probably would have done the same thing," she admitted softly. "But that isn't a reason to put my life above...we have a responsibility to the public."
"You would rather I stood by and let them torture you to death?" Tony asked incredulously.
When she looked up, her eyes were narrowed and expression determined. "What if he got away and released those vials in more major cities? Millions of lives gone to save mine - and they might have killed me anyway."
Before he could answer, she kept talking. "Even if they didn't, how do you think that would have made me feel, knowing that you put my life above the safety of millions?" She was looking at him in that way, her pupils moving back and forth, thinking and waiting for a response that would make everything okay.
'Does she want me to say I'm sorry?' he thought, stopping himself before exhaustion and impatience made him say something he'd regret.
The glass wall separating them was nothing compared to this new distance.
His phone rang. He ignored it and saw her pull away, watched the rest of his life play out in a series of moments.
***
Michelle heard his phone ring, wanted him to answer it, and needed to have a few moments where he wasn't looking at her.
She needed the distance, craved it actually. So moved away from Tony, sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her hands, at the ring still on her finger.
She closed her eyes, the world was starting to tunnel, exhaustion making it difficult to think straight.
He was still watching her, his cell phone starting to give her a headache.
She actually snapped, "Answer your phone already," surprised at the level of annoyance in her voice.
He looked wounded at her words and reached up to rub the back of his neck. A move she'd seen so many times before, in so many different contexts.
This one meant he was trying to comfort himself and her heart broke just a little at the thought of how much pain he had to be in.
Her resentment and anger melted away. She lay back on the bed, feeling her entire body pulled down by gravity, like falling.
"Tony, I need to sleep. I'll wake up and we'll talk more later," she tried to say but it came out more like "Tony...sleep...later."
She collapsed, her eyes closing, her legs still over the edge of the bed. Moving was impossible.
She woke up some time later to a suited nurse standing near her. "It's been over 12 hours. Your latest tests have come back. No sign of infection. You’re clean." The suited nurse said. "You can leave in the morning."
Michelle felt the pain in her legs instantly and silently cursed the bad sleeping position. "Can I go outside now?"
The nurse looked at her and opened the door into the suiting area. "I really don’t see why not."
After the nurse left, Michelle walked up to the door and it opened. She felt so much freer, even though the floor was cold against her bare feet and her legs were going to be cramped for days now.
The only person she wanted to see in the world was slumped in the chair, covered with a blanket.
She touched Tony’s shoulder - thinking, I'm touching his shoulder, he's here, I'm here, we've survived.
"Tony?" She whispered, touching his hand, his face, her fingertips relearning the curve of his neck.
"Michelle," he said instantly appearing slightly confused. "Aren't you....?"
"Over twelve hours. Clean bill of health," she said, hugging him lightly but then suddenly unable to let go of him, and all the anger and fear she had seemed to just go away as he wrapped his arms around her like he might never let her go.
"CTU called before you fell asleep. Jack thinks Hammond will be satisfied with our resignations. No jail time."
She tried to take in his words, but they weren't making sense -- resignation?
"Yeah, mine and his, but we were pretty much expecting it. You're, uh, apparently the new head of CTU. Hammond wants to talk to you tomorrow."
She blinked, trying to process the information. "You're saying that I'm...?"
"You deserve it."
"But what are you going to do? You’ve been – “ she started to say.
"They'll never trust me in another intelligence job ever again. You were right," he said as he looked up at her. "Apparently putting your wife's life above those of your fellow citizens is against CTU policy. But that's okay, I'll go into the private sector, make more money. Or, maybe I'll just take a break for a while, whatever you want. I will follow you anywhere."
"Even as just the husband?" She leaned against him, feeling his heart beat against her chest.
"Well I have to go with you, sweetheart. I'm the only one who knows how to cook."
She laughed slightly - which was enough of a miracle because hours ago she'd swear she'd never smile again. But sleep made clear what her overtiredness could not see -- she could not really punish him for loving her more than the world because looking into his eyes, feeling his skin against hers, she knew that she too would do anything to keep him safe.
It was a scary powerful thing - that level of love and devotion.
Twenty-four hours after the virus outbreak, after she'd been positive her life was over, she was in Tony's arms and making plans for the future.
There would be time for mourning and guilt later. Now, she just wanted to be held.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2004-05-02 09:59 pm (UTC)Sorry, MSN has cut out on me!
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Date: 2004-05-02 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-02 10:45 pm (UTC)This was just beautiful.
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Date: 2004-05-03 02:00 am (UTC)You know, I wish I still had my old MP3 collection because then I could just force-feed inspirational music into you. ;)
I feel so proud!
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Date: 2004-05-03 02:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-03 09:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-03 04:17 am (UTC)*sniff*
Sweetie, that was just wonderful and touching and perfectly fabulous. I loved it loved it loved it! Couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift! Thank you so much, darling! You're too good to me. *smooch'n'hugs*
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Date: 2004-05-03 09:37 am (UTC)Oh, you're so so so welcome.
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Date: 2004-05-03 02:46 pm (UTC)Loved that line, particularly its placement.
Ooh, that was wonderful - it made me feel happier :) Great job!
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Date: 2004-05-03 03:11 pm (UTC)I'm so glad that I was able to cheer you up :)
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Date: 2004-05-03 05:34 pm (UTC)I have a feeling after tomorrow I'll be reading this over and over, chanting, "This is what REALLY happened. This is what REALLY happened..."
If I had any guts I'd just read this and skip the last few eps. I would be much better off, I know...
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Date: 2004-05-03 05:46 pm (UTC)This is my personal canon - er, if things get really bad.
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Date: 2004-05-03 07:03 pm (UTC)Tis OK, hon.
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Date: 2007-07-19 02:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-19 05:32 am (UTC)Aw, thank you. I love her too and miss her (and Tony) in the show.