Life, Love & The Forbidden

I Was Like You

Michael had his face hidden in his hands when there was a soft knock on the huge metallic door of the interrogation room. He dragged his hands down his face, his eyes moving to the handle as it was pushed down from the outside. The detective leant forward in his chair and pushed his body out of it using the table as leverage. A petite officer poked her head around the doorway and motioned for the detective to follow her.

"Excuse me," he grinned at Michael who just turned his head away in frustration. Cray moved to fill the gap made by the open door and pushed his face through the exposed space and pulled the door closed against his shoulders. "What is it?" he snapped at the young officer.

"Sara Tancredi's test results were negative," she told him handing him a sheet of paper.

"What?" He asked furiously, snatching the paper from her hands and hurriedly scanning the results.

The young officer peeked a look at Michael over Cray's shoulder. "He didn't do it," she told him in a whisper as she watched Michael search the blank walls for any interaction. "And the Governor wants to talk to him," she added with a gulp.

Cray's head snapped to hers and she moved her eyes to look over her shoulder, motioning for Cray to follow her gaze. His rolled his eyes upwards to where the Governor stood, hands in pockets, pacing back and forth by the door. He shot a glance at the officer once more before she shrugged and turned from him, leaving the tiny lobby type room.

Cray cleared his throat and Frank looked up towards him, half way through rubbing his square jaw line. "Governor Tancredi," he beckoned him forward with a rough hand. Frank fell into step, arriving at the room in two quick steps. "Your daughter's results were..." he begun.

Frank held up a hand to hush him. "I know," he breathed. Cray peered over his shoulder at Michael who was staring straight at them, listening intently with a smirk.

"Sir, we can't hold him if..." Cray started with a softening expression. His stint as both the good cop and the bad cop had ended.

"I know," Frank repeated rubbing the back of his neck with a jagged scratching motion. "I want to tell him," Frank told him and Cray nodded, moving aside. Frank pulled his hands from his pockets and stepped into the chilly room. He glanced around the room; the unpainted grey stonewalls making it dark and eerie. Frank looked to the guard who stood statuesque by behind the door. "Leave us," he commanded and with a nod, the guard left.

Michael studied Frank as he stayed hidden in the shadows by the door. His hands found his pockets once again and he rubbed his fingertips together nervously. Michael leant forward in his chair, dropping his gaze to his hands as they met on the table interlocking slowly. "Governor Tancredi," Michael greeted him in a steady tone.

"Michael I'm sorry," Frank told him quickly. Michael listened, never taking his eyes from his hands as his fingers danced and grated together. "I jumped to the wrong conclusions earlier," he paused as Michael let out a shrill closed mouth laugh. "And I overreacted," he finished and swallowed a lump in his throat from where he had forgot to swallow.

"Overreacted?" Michael sneered and Frank lowered his head. Michael lifted his head and he squinted into the darkness. "I'd say overreacted was an understatement," he slammed his fists into the table and the sound ricocheted around the room like a tin can hitting stone.

"What would you of done?" Frank raised his voice and took a step towards Michael into the light. "I would do anything, however stupid, to protect her!" he roared, waving his arms wildly before his finger came to a stop pointing towards the door.

Michael pushed himself to his feet, determined to not be intimidated by Frank's display. "So I wouldn't?" he bellowed in a voice he didn't even know he had. Frank was startled and he flinched at Michael's volume. "She means the world to me," he panted slightly, his fury quickening his blood and breathing. "I love her," Michael yelled, the emotions surging through his body.

Frank laughed but it wasn't sadistic or evil. His laugh was one of a man who was reliving happiness, reminiscing of a time that filled him with joy. Michael squinted at him, unsure what to make of the spectre before him.

"I was like you once," Frank pointed a finger at him and propped himself against the wall next to the thick edged two-way mirror. "I fell in love with a girl," he rested his head on the stone walls and looked up at the ceiling. "She was younger then me and naturally her father disapproved," he lolled his head so his eyes met Michael's. "And because I couldn't have her I wanted her even more," he smiled, his voice calm and content as he depicted his story.

"What happened?" Michael asked, his own anger fading away as he watched Frank with avid fascination.

"We fought," he said simply with a raise of an eyebrow. "And he lost," he pushed himself off the wall with his shoulders and strode towards the centre of the room. "She made the decision to love me and not him anymore. She never saw him again," he said sadly, lowering his head as he moistened his lips with a quick dart of his tongue.

"Than what?" Michael quizzed with a frown.

"We got married," Frank grinned with delight. "She was beautiful that day and then we discovered we were to be parents the next spring." Michael watched Frank with is mouth ajar as he realised he was talking about Sara's mother. Frank gazed dropped to Michael as they stood an arms length apart. "I don't want to lose her Michael," he confessed shakily. "And if it means letting you two be together..." he bit his tongue, trying desperately to force the next words from his mouth.

"Thank you," Michael cut him off, saving Frank from his humiliating reluctance. Michael extended a strong hand to Frank with a lopsided smile. "Sir," his hand hovered between them as Frank studied it. For a second, neither man moved.

Frank still didn't like the possibility of the man before him running his politely extended hand over his daughter's body. He hated the way his mind fabricated scenarios in which he was always the bad guy and Sara shunned him away. He never wanted to lose her, to chase her away into the arms of Michael and never see her again. But most of all he never wanted to see her taken from his world too early, as her mother was, too late to make amends and end up regretting it for the rest of his life.

Frank pulled his hand from his pocket and shoved in into Michael's, his grip firm yet accepting. Michael closed his fingers around Frank's older hand and shook them up and down in short, quick actions. The two men were interrupted when the door to the room opened and Cray peered around the doorframe. Both men turned to look at him, dropping each other's hands.

"You're free to go Mr. Scofield," he informed Michael with a nod and a smile. Frank shuffled sideways so he was next to Michael and laid a splayed hand to his shoulder.

"Come on," he said leading a relieved Michael from the room. "This way." They entered the small space between the rooms and Michael reached out to grab the door handle to the outside corridor. The small area was stuffy and cool, fresh air invaded the space as soon as the door squeaked open. Frank took hold of the door behind Michael and allowed him to exit the room first.

The fresh air invaded Michael's lungs as he inhaled hard, his eyes closed and his chest puffing out proudly. He caught a whiff of vanilla in his nostrils and his eyes fell open to rest of Sara standing at the end of the corridor. As if in slow motion she spun around to face him, her hair following her face and bouncing on her shoulders. She moved towards him first, her feet unable to carry her fast enough.

Michael's gait was wide as he moved to meet her. Their bodies collided hard and forced the breath from Michael's lungs as Sara threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his powerful arms around her dainty body. He held her tight, thankful she was fine and unhurt.

"Michael..." she sobbed into his ear as he stroked the outline of her head through her hair.

"Shhh..." he soothed with a velvety voice. "It's over," he promised his breath tickling her sensitive ear. "It's over," he repeated tucking his face into her neck as they were washed with relief.