Title: Normalcy

Author: Lizparker6

Pairing: Michael/Sara

Rating: PG-13

Summary: There has been an accident and Michael gets a phone call. It's the hospital. Pure MiSa, post-escape, romance, hurt/comfort as well as some fluff.

Disclaimer: English is NOT my first language, so sorry for any abstract phrasing, spelling etc, I know, but what can I do? Right? ;)

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Chapter 3

Half an hour later, her arm is fixed and fixated with a tight bandage and a sling. She is smiling now, the biggest pain gone, the residual only a reverberation. She is tired, she is drawn, but somehow, she feels a strange sensation of contentment, but this time, she knows, it has nothing to do with the drugs. Michael smiles back at her and slides his hands around her waist to help her from the table, the last arrangements done with the doc. Sara is still in pain and will stay that way for some time, but she decides not to push her luck and politely declines the offer of a pain killer medication. She is not alone with her problem anymore and actually has somebody that would move heaven and earth for her, maybe that's all she ever needed, she muses, but still, she can manage from here alone and clean. If anything, she can prescribe medication herself.

Then they walk hand in hand out of the exam room, all of the world around them forgotten, until they spot a pale as a freshly pained wall and miserable looking person slumped on a chair outside the exam room.

Michael looks at his brother in amazement and tries to remember when was the last time he saw him look like that, look so lost and lonely. All of his previous anger gone momentarily, taking mercy on his brother, who clearly.. God, is that a dried tear on Lincoln's cheek? Lincoln's head snaps up at the sound of the closing door, quickly sizing Sara up and down.

"Are you ok?" He asks her with a shaky voice and a small nagging feeling of annoyance creeps back into Michael.

"She is now." Michael emphasizes the word 'now' and sees his brother avert his gaze in guilt as well as feels Sara's elbow nudge him not so gently.

"I was so scared, I heard you scream…" Lincoln adds and leaves Michael puzzled for a moment, then suddenly understanding dawns on him, Lincoln had no idea what was happening while they were inside. With a surprising jolt of involuntary satisfaction, he pats his brother's shoulder thinking darkly that now they were even of sorts.

He knows this whole thing was an accident but still, but can't help but feel angry, because it was once again his brother's recklessness that hurt somebody he cared about. The smug feeling of satisfaction in his brother's misery starts to grow only to be stopped abruptly, exchanged by a sudden deep shame when he notices the glance Sara gives him. A scowl that makes him squirm in discontent and he suddenly wants to be anywhere but here.

There really is NOTHING he can hide from this woman, and it touches him as deeply as it unnerves him. There are still so many demerits he doesn't want her to ever know, he is ashamed to show her. All of a sudden, he would prefer her to see the rather noble person she believed he was when they met. As being a bank robber would make him a noble person…Jesus, who was he kidding!

Either way, he sees now it's a lost cause, she already knows. Knows him, all of him. And in a way, it makes Michael glad and maybe even a bit proud. On the other hand though, there are times when he feels like disappearing from Earth wouldn't be enough, times when she, especially she, catches him at something he knows he shouldn't be doing, mostly a thing he would be ashamed himself anyway. Like wallowing in his brother's misery for revenge right now, for example. Or breaking another promise he gave her just an hour ago, he remembers and shrinks some more.

She merely squeezes his hand and flashes him an understanding smile, assuring him she is not mad, only felt obliged to remind him what he promised. She always did that, 'showing him the right way' of sorts, gently enough to leave a good feeling instead of a bad one. He returns her the smile quickly before she focuses again at his brother, showing Lincoln her sling proudly.

"You know, I only screamed that loud to scare ya." She jokes and winks.

Lincoln lights up immediately and cracks a joke himself in return, something about her being a bigger crybaby than Michael. She laughs but for Michael, there is nothing to laugh about, he still has the image of her broken and sobbing in his arms burned into the back of his head. And again, like she would sense it, suddenly is Sara standing in front of him, asking if he is in the mood to torture Lincoln some more and then she is giving him a not-a-nice-girl kiss and Lincoln groans and she is laughing loud and it is music to his ears and suddenly he is laughing too, his mood suddenly light and alleviated.

Then he hugs his brother, uttering a silent 'thank you' into his ear, hoping the small statement will tell Lincoln enough to understand he was both, not mad at him as well as thankful he took such care of Sara. The gratitude for Michael's forgiveness in Lincoln's eyes almost overwhelms him and he has no idea how he could ever be angry with his brother in the first place.

As they leave the hospital, Sara quips how hungry she is and it's then when Michael realizes how late it got and that his plans for tonight will be cancelled, but right now he doesn't care much, he has all the people he loves in his life; safe and happy and he couldn't be more thankful for that.

They drive home and meet a worried LJ and spent the evening together, just watching some silly movie nobody is really watching and eating pizza and laughing and simply enjoying themselves and it's then when Michael realizes he couldn't wish for a better celebration of 'normalcy'.

Later, when he and Sara retreat into their room – she has been falling asleep on his lap for the past two hours – he gently guides her to the bed and helps her undress and change, the day too stressful for both of them to try anything more, but again, they don't mind. He takes a quick shower and expects Sara to be already asleep by the time he comes back, but she is there, sitting on the bed, her back against the bed rest and the words 'wait for me' echo through his head and again, like so many times that day, his heart skips a beat like it couldn't carry the enormous amount of love and care he feels for her.

They snuggle into each others embrace and it's then when Michael remembers the origami crane in his jacket pocket and he bents over the bed, picks it up and retrieves the small object and handles it to Sara with a soft smile and the words "happy three-months 'normalcy' anniversary", on his lips.

She laughs out loud and takes the tiny gentle bird, awarding its creator with a kiss.

"Unfold it." He murmurs against her lips.

"Why? I though you folded it up for me."

"I did. But unfold it." He insist, kissing her all the way and she gives a little squeal of joy and then tries to unfold the little bird, but only fumbles with it; using only one hand makes it kind of difficult. So he takes it gently from her and unfolds it for her, handing it back. On the paper, there are in Michael's neat handwriting very detailed graphical instructions on how to fold the crane.

"You always wanted to know how to make these, so I though I could make you a plan." He whispers huskily and his voice contains so much emotion she feels her heart flutter in her chest with heavy emotions.

"I love you." She whispers before her lips finally meet his. When they part, she gives him a wicked smile.

"But I am afraid I won't need this anymore." She points to the paper in her hand.

Michael furrows his brow. "How come?"

"You know Michael…" she starts playfully. "I always though you were so very aware of every detail in your surroundings, always somehow 'on watch', but I have to say, to my satisfaction of course, I noticed that when you are around me, you somehow forget to look around properly."

There is a wicked twinkle in her eye and it drives Michael crazy. She casts her gaze somewhere behind him and he follows it only to find a perfectly shaped paper crane on his own bedside table. He isn't able to move a muscle, he is so stunned. He slowly turns back to look at her only to find her inches away from his face.

"I too, haven't forgotten." She whispers before her lips meet his again, and again, and again. When they finally pull apart, he is giving her that look, Oh GOD, that look that makes her whole body shiver with anticipation, but he doesn't advance, to her disappointment she muses.

No matter what, he knows all to well how much the two of them are tired and drained and, especially Sara, need their sleep. So he turns to the bedside table instead and takes the small red paper crane into his hands, carefully observing it.

"Is it any good?" She asks playfully but Michael notices just the smallest amount of uncertainty in her voice. He gives her a broad smile.

"It's perfect." He leans into her once more and uses their kiss to wrap his hands around her body. Then he is hugging her tightly against him, painfully aware he has to be careful not to hurt her arm. He kisses her hair and looses himself momentarily in her scent.

"YOU are perfect." He adds and feels her smile against him.

"Well thank you. You are not bad yourself." She replies in a seductive voice and he grins despite himself.

"Is that so?" He asks, not able to keep the amusement out of his voice.

"Umm." She nods affirming her previous statement. "Although you still didn't buy me that filet migneau."

She hears him groan jokingly and in makes her laugh even harder.

"You know what? I am taking the 'perfect' comment back." He says. Sara gives a small squeal and pouts her bottom lip playfully.

"You wouldn't dare!"

He is laughing now again, this time at her silly obsession with keeping awarded praises.

"Yes I can. And you know what?" He adds more gently. "You may not be perfect…" oh yes, she IS, screams a loud voice at the back of his head and he smiles at the fact that his subconscious is having an argument with him "…but you are simply and beautifully 'normal'. And we both know how much I embrace normalcy, so you should be happy, because being normal is a far bigger compliment than being called perfect." He gives her a wink and Sara rolls her eyes and pulls a face.

"Easy for you to say, Mr. Genius." She grouches funnily and Michael feels his love for her grow even more. He feels the sudden urge to tell her, let her know how he doesn't take her 'for granted'. He pulls her into a tight hug once more, feeling happiness and contentment he experiences only in her presence and starts giggling like mad, but he doesn't mind at all.

"God Sara, I love you so much! You have no idea how much!" he breathes and notices her features soften at once. They lock eyes again.

"I do have." She whispers and snuggles deeper into his embrace.

"And I love you too." She sighs, suddenly feeling tired. "Now let's get some sleep." She mutters, giving his chest a last light kiss, already falling asleep. Michael kissed the top of her head.

"Good night Sara." He whispers as he switches out their lamp, 'their' lamp, he still can't believe it, and lays the small bird carefully back on his bedside table smiling broadly, his last thoughts of the day on the woman lying in his arms.

THE END

A/N – leave feedback, Iwould kill for those little buggers, lol