Fic: Interference 2/?
Author: leikvin
Category: AU
Characters: Michael Scofield, Sara Tancredi, Lincoln Burrows, Veronica Donovan, Nika Volek, Nurse Katie, Charles Westmoreland, Paul Kellerman, Frank Tancredi
Genres: Romance, drama, angst
Pairing: Michael/Sara
Warnings: Work in progress
Word count: 6281
Summary: Michael is in the airport on his way to Colorado on a business trip. A business trip he's not too happy about. When he gets into a sticky situation in the departure lounge, he's rescued by Sara, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. But things get complicated once they arrive at the destination. Will they have a chance?
Note: Second chapter is up. Once again THANKS to my two lovely beta's, Jen and Elke. You guys are amazing!! :)
This one is Sara's POV. Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"Aw thanks, that's so kind of you," she had murmured shyly, as an attractive man about her age got up and offered her his seat. After having searched for a place to sit for about half an hour already, she was profoundly grateful to sit down and relax, finally.
She'd been stressed out all afternoon, worried that she would miss her flight. The staggering amounts of snow had created the usual traffic chaos in Chicago and it had been impossible hailing a cab. As humiliating as it was, she finally had been forced to call her father's office for help.
She hated that.
Hated everything related to his office and his post as governor, and she usually made a point of never taking advantage of the fringe benefits related to his job. But since it seemed like the weather and the ensuing traffic jam had joined forces against her this particular day, she had finally surrendered to make the agonizing call.
Her father's office had sent a limousine to pick her up immediately and she had to admit to herself that she had never been so relieved to see that limo as today. The driver had told her to calm down; it appeared that all flights had been delayed because of the snowstorm, so they had plenty of time.
He was right. When she arrived at the airport, she hastily checked out the electronic board for departing flights, which informed her that all planes were delayed for at least three hours. A relieved sigh slipped from her lips as she realized she would indeed make it out of Chicago and she quickly checked her luggage, passing through security surprisingly fast.
But finding a seat in the terminal turned out to be an unusually daunting challenge, so after about 30 minutes she was truly grateful when the young man apparently took pity on her and let her have his seat.
Hmm....good to see that the species of Gentlemenus Americanus is not entirely extinct, she silently told herself, as she slipped into the warm seat.
And whoa....this one is even good-looking, she noticed, as she let her eyes roam over the tall, slender figure hastily packing up his laptop in his attaché case.
As he leaned down and picked up his newspaper from the floor, his boarding pass slipped out of his pocket. Before he even noticed it himself, Sara quickly scooped up the pass and handed it over.
"Um...you dropped your boarding pass. Here you are Mr......Scofield," she offered, not being able to resist checking out his name.
"Ah, thanks. I better hold on to that," he replied with an impish grin as he slid the pass down into his case. Their fingers accidentally touched during the exchange and a small electrical shock jolted through her body; a shock she wasn't familiar with but which she liked nonetheless.
She caught a quick glimpse of his eyes, immediately feeling drawn into those intense, deep blue pools, which almost made her heart skip a beat.
"Thanks again for the seat. You're a true gentleman," she had said softly, mesmerized. But the man had already turned away and strolled towards another gate, not hearing her last comment.
He seemed to embody the 'tall, dark and handsome' ideal of a man, and even though she usually loathed the suit-wearing type, which reminded her all too much of her father and his cronies, she had to admit that this man looked sinfully good in a suit. It fit him perfectly, revealing his well-shaped masculine body with broad shoulders, slim waist, and lean thighs--not to mention his nice firm butt--which almost asked to be grabbed and pinched.
A few flashes suddenly popped into her head, picturing them standing together, face to face, her own hands reaching behind him and roaming over those well shaped naked buttocks, feeling the well-trained, muscular gluteus maximus underneath. In her fantasy her hands trailed up his back and drew around his shoulders, caressing his chest, appreciating the taut hard-body beneath her fingers while letting herself drown in a pair of steel blue mesmerizing eyes. The fantasy instantly made her flush and stirred something deep inside her, which had been neglected for a long time.
Jeez Sara.....you're pathetic. Sitting here drooling over some stranger!
Here she was. 29 years old. Depressingly single, without one date during the last 2 years. She hadn't even been close to one. Not that she hadn't had opportunities. She'd had plenty of offers. But ever since her teenage years she'd had a predilection for the wrong kind of men - the bad ones, as her friend Katie said. And so far these guys had done nothing but get her into trouble.
So when two years ago she started her 'new life', she had voluntarily taken a vow of celibacy and promised herself not to be bewitched by another alpha male again. She needed to get her life back on track, without the distraction of a man who typically wanted something from her, whether it was her body, drugs, or just the benefits stemming from her name. She had come to the conclusion that since she was such a lousy judge of character, she might as well play it safe for a while.
Her self-imposed celibacy had proven surprisingly easy. Actually she loved the independence and freedom her vow had brought, and it was exceedingly liberating to say whatever came to mind without worrying about being more clever than the men around her, thereby scaring them off....
So after two years of barren sexual winter she was actually surprised to feel the carnal instincts springing to life again, without warning. She couldn't believe she was sitting here in the airport lusting over some unknown man, who just happened to be nice to her. She was quite pathetic.
Get a grip! she silently scolded herself, as she forced her attention to the medical journal she had plucked out of her crammed handbag. Figuring that her indecent thoughts had to be some weird rebound effect from her panicky getaway earlier this afternoon, she leaned back and started reading an utterly boring article titled The effects of valproat compared to lithium on acute manic episodes in bipolar disorder.
Ten minutes later she gave up. Still feeling the high adrenaline levels in her blood after the mortifying limo trip, mixed in with the weird distraction of encountering perfectly shaped buttocks, she realized that she felt too manic herself to be able to focus on a boring medical journal article. Why read about the symptoms of mania when she was experiencing them herself?
She was actually surprised that she had felt so panicked this afternoon. She wouldn't usually consider the possibility of missing a plane back to Denver so disastrous, but the thought of spending another night in Chicago had repulsed her tremendously.
She was so relieved to be heading home; actually quite happy that her Chicago trip had been shortened by three days. She thought that by now it would have been easier returning to her old life in the windy city, but every time she visited her father and her old friends, the melancholic memories seemed to catch up with her making her once again regret the trip. This was no exception. Her dark thoughts brought her back to the events since landing in Chicago.
The initial few days of her visit were good. Her father seemed happy to see her, and for once he'd actually asked her a little about her 'new life'. Not much - actually just a few questions. But it was enough to make her feel, that he after all maybe cared a little.
Even though she had lived in Fox Creek for two years, he still hadn't found the time to come visit her. Not that it surprised her. It had been like that for as long as she could remember. His political career, and now his burdensome tasks as the Governor of Illinois, had made him a very distant figure in her life. In some ways she had come to terms with his neglect, but it still hurt a bit every time he cancelled another appointment with her because something more important came up.
After having spent a few days with friends, Sara and her father planned to have a birthday dinner together. Just the two of them at her favourite restaurant to celebrate her 29th birthday.
They had agreed to meet at «The Mamma Rosa». As usual Sara arrived a few minutes late, and hurried into the restaurant, asking the maître d’ for the Tancredi table.
«Miss Tancredi?» he asked. «I'm afraid I have a message for you.»
Her heart dropped instantly; she knew what he was about to say. Not again!
«Governor Tancredi's secretary called a few minutes ago. She asked us to inform you that the governor unfortunately was forced to leave town this afternoon due to an emergency meeting in Washington D.C. He won't be back until the day after tomorrow.»
It felt like a slap in her face.
«And she asked me to tell you that the governor was very sorry, and that he will make it up to you the next time you're in town, Miss Tancredi.»
Trying to find a facial expression which didn't reveal her disappointment, she simply nodded. It was all about appearances in her family.
It wasn't just the cancellation itself that hurt so much; it was that fact that once again he didn't even have the decency to pick up the phone to call her himself.
«OK. Thanks for telling me,» she told the maître d, trying to sound unaffected, but feeling tears starting to fill her eyes.
She quickly left the restaurant and was grateful she managed to get a cab straight away. But sitting in the cab on her way back to her father's house, a long line of the bad memories marched through her mind and she soon found herself weeping like a little schoolgirl.
Birthday parties without her dad....... Images of him and her beside her mother's grave...... Graduation day from med school, feeling the shame of being the only one without a family member present....... Rough years during her internship...... Long night shifts..... Morphine to get through the night..... Addiction.... Bad company...... Another funeral...... Breakdown.....
The thoughts came over her like a huge wave, crashing her back to the feeling of despair and hopelessness that had driven her away from Chicago two years ago. For two years she had almost managed to keep this breakdown out of her mind, blocking it out completely, sometimes almost as if it never happened.
But now, sitting in the cab, tears were streaming down her cheeks again. She had fled away from it all and had managed to start a new life away from the stress, the drugs, and her father's disapproving glare.
Before the cab returned to her father's house, she arrived at a decision. She had to shorten her stay in Chicago. She had to get away from here. She needed to get back to Colorado...back to her refuge and safe haven. Away from the bad memories....she had to make her past fade away again...
Sara's attention shifted back to present time. Back to the airport and the crowded gate. But despite the chaos, and the uncertainty about when her plane would depart, she now felt better. Relieved. Happy to be leaving all the bad memories behind and to jump back on track once again. She decided to give the manic episodes another try...
~*~
An hour passed by, and she actually managed to get through the article learning that lithium indeed had a superior effect at reducing the manic episodes, as compared to valproat. Considering her recent emotional upheaval, she wondered if she should prescribe herself some lithium.
When she finished and looked up, she noticed that Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome had returned. He was now seated a few rows away from her, reading his newspaper thoroughly, looking slightly restless.
From her position she had a perfect view of his profile and once again she couldn't help admiring his beautiful appearance. Since this time she could observe him from a distance without his knowledge, she gave in to the temptation of checking him out more thoroughly.
The man was clean-shaven with strong classical features, sporting a crew-cut hair style. He had the most perfectly tennis-ball-shaped head she'd ever seen and his skin was smooth and perfect. She noticed a single mole on his left temple. But other than that she would have described his skin to be spotless.
He was tall, about 6'1". Broad shoulders. Lean and athletic, maybe a swimmer?
Michael Scofield, she remembered from the boarding card.
Nice name...suits him well. Wonder what such a man does for living?
Armani suit....gotta make a good salary....Maybe an attorney? Or an accountant? Doctor? Hmm... no, she probably would have recognized a colleague...
He radiated a certain amount of confidence and she felt quite sure that he was good at what he did.
A politician? No.
He definitely had the looks and the charisma for politics, but somehow he seemed a bit too shy... and maybe a bit too genuine as well? Knowing the inside of the political circus all too well, she couldn't make him fit there either.
But maybe the suit was a cover up--some kind of camouflage? Maybe a secret agent? Sara smiled at her own rather silly thoughts.
He could be some kind of workman or craftsman.
Her eyes trailed down to his hands, noticing the long, graceful, slender fingers; showing no sign of hard work.
No, those hands were too well-cared-for. Maybe some kind of artist? Hmm...
He did seem almost artistically graceful, but the suit didn't fit the profile of a bohemian artist. No he had to be some kind of businessman.
Sara's eyes were drawn back to the hands again.
She silently swallowed. He was holding a pen between his fingertips, slowly playing with it. Moving the index finger slowly up and down along the pen. She was completely entranced by these fingers, her mouth dropping slightly open.
Wow...wonder what he could do with those fingers?
Her mind was going straight to the gutter again, but this time she didn't try to stop herself. On the contrary she found pleasure in dwelling on the forbidden thoughts. Relishing the long lost excitement he somehow awoke in her, she let herself linger on the fantasy. She found the thought of having an intimate moment with this Adonis surprisingly appealing and she would have loved exploring the man’s body thoroughly. Not only admiring all his glory from a distance, but touching him, feeling him......
She silently suppressed a deep sigh, blushing at the same time.
The primordial urge to touch the man was overwhelming and she imagined cupping his head with her hands, letting her light touch follow the curvature forward along the crown of his skull and angling down to his forehead. She envisaged her fingers lingering a moment on his skin, appreciatively exploring the mole on his temple. She would brush over his forehead and his cheeks with her fingertips, ending up at his lips.
Ahh...those lips. Full and perfectly sculptured. She could actually detect the softness and sensitivity they possessed. She imagined exploring them, letting her index finger slide along his upper lip -full and soft - moving down to his lower lip, urging him to open his mouth. She imagined him gently biting her finger, teasing her and letting his tongue sweep over her fingertip. Something stirred deep within her and shivers travelled up her spine just thinking about how she would lean in and nip that bottom lip with her own, licking and teasing it, tasting him and finally taking his mouth in possession of her own.
Whoa Sara, she silently told herself. ....Seems like Katie is right. You really do need to get laid!
She was so surprised by her reaction towards him. It had been a long time since a man had produced such an effect on her. Actually she couldn't remember ever being so instantly attracted to anybody like this.
But it seemed like she wasn't the only one interested in the Adonis. An elderly woman seated next to him had pulled out a photo album, enthusiastically showing him the pictures.
Sara could hear fragments of what appeared to be an impressive monologue from the chatty woman, with a detailed description of her first grandchild's outstanding qualities, including claims that she was the most beautiful child anyone had ever seen. Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome was very polite and silently listened to the grandmother’s extremely biased glorification of the infant prodigy. The lady was cornering the poor guy completely, not leaving him a chance to cut her off.
Sara actually found the situation rather amusing, and couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome had endured enough.
After 5 minutes Sara was impressed. This man really had patience.
When another 5 minutes had passed, she started feeling sorry for him. This garrulous grandmother was relentless. Sara knew he would have to cut her off quite rudely to make her stop and it was obvious that he didn't have the heart to do it...yet...
Another 5 minutes passed and the signs were obvious now. The 'meltdown' was approaching quickly and a blow-off seemed inevitable.
But suddenly Sara had an idea and before she had time to think it through, she popped up off her seat and set out on a rescue mission.
With a few long, quick strides she «incidentally» approached the couple.
"Michael, is that really you?! God, it's so good to see you!!"
She was trying to appear as though she only just spotted him, and she was surprised by her own impulsiveness. The man was completely bewildered by her interference and obviously didn't know how to respond.
Afraid he would ruin the rescue mission before it had even begun, Sara carried on, completely acting on an impulse;
"Well, don't just sit there. Get up and give me a hug!" she demanded, shocked by the boldness in her own voice.
And before either of them really realized what was happening, she pulled him up and embraced him with her long slender arms.
tbc........
Chapter End Notes:
I know..... Not much action in this chapter either, but we needed to get some background story on Sara too. But I really enjoyed writing this chappie. For some reason it was very easy to get into Saras mind when studying Mr. Scofield ...;) Guess it's time for some MiSa flirting now....?!? Yes...??
But peeps; I need some feedback. Pleeaase leave me review and tell me if I should keep going with this??
And here's
Chapter 1
"Flight 6340 to Seattle with a planned departure at 4:30 is now ready for boarding at gate 45. Please have your boarding pass and your ID ready. And once again we apologize for the delay."
The voice from the loudspeaker resonated throughout the terminals at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. People started lining up at gate no.45, all eager to board the plane. The departure was scheduled three hours ago, so it wasn't strange that a certain impatience could be noticed in the passengers.
Michael had finally gotten hold of a seat in the waiting area. His plane for Denver should have left two hours ago, but there was still no sign that it would leave any time soon.
He could see the Boeing 737 just outside through the enormous windows. It was dark, but the planes were lit up by giant spotlights. It was still snowing heavily and the road sweepers were driving non-stop back and forth on the runways, trying to keep them clear. It seemed to be an impossible task at the moment. The snow still poured down, and it looked like the cement became covered with a fresh layer of snow just minutes after it had been cleared. Planes were lining up, all waiting for a free runway for take-off. But because of the snow, they only managed about 8 departures each hour, which was just about a tenth of the usual rate.
Michael once again glanced up at the board above the gate. Denver, Flight #593, Departure Delayed was still flashing annoyingly down at him, almost as if the sign was mocking him personally. There was not even an 'Estimated New Departure Time' yet.
Relieved that he at least finally had located a seat in the waiting area, he picked up his laptop, eager to get some work done. A few curses crossed his mind as he realized that the batteries had gone flat during his long search for a seat, and frustrated he slipped the laptop down into the bag again. Instead he leaned back and sighed deeply. People around him seemed to have settled in, somehow accepting that they might be here for a long time. He wished he knew how to do that. He tapped his fingers on his suit clad legs and forced himself to calm down. There was nothing he could do about the snow, although he wished he could have performed some magic.
An hour later he had gone through all the articles of today's edition of the Chicago Tribune twice, checked his mail about 20 times, surfed the news on his PDA, and consumed two grande-size Starbucks coffees. Michael was getting restless.
Usually his days would be tightly scheduled, full of meetings and appointments with clients or co-workers, and Mrs. Clark, his highly treasured secretary, would always see to that he never wasted a minute. Michael was a highly efficient man--he liked it that way.
But when he had left the office this afternoon, Mrs. Clark had informed him of the bad weather forecast, with warnings about a snow-storm approaching Chicago. Usually Michael would consider himself quite a stable and well-balanced person, but after the last couple of days filled with emotional fluctuations like a roller-coaster-ride, he had not been pleased with the prospect of spending hours at the airport waiting for a take-off…a take-off for a destination that was scaring him more and more, the closer it came.
And so far, life wasn’t treating him well. The airport was a nightmare, the hallways filled with impatient travellers, all annoyed that it wasn't their plane that was next in line for departure. There weren't enough seats for everybody, so after giving up his seat for a young, pretty lady an hour ago, he had wandered restlessly around the crowded airport looking for a seat. It wasn't until travellers for the Seattle departure started boarding that he finally found one.
But what was worse, the wait had given him plenty of time to mentally review the sticky situation in which he found himself. A situation he didn't know how to handle. And the longer he thought about it, the more convinced he became that this whole trip was a BIG mistake.
It was a business-trip, -and not just any business trip. It was without doubt the greatest and most exciting project he had ever been involved in, and yet, he had this aching feeling in his stomach, telling him he was getting into dangerous territory. His mind drifted a week back in time.
Right after the morning briefing, he was called into one of the senior-partner’s office at 'Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum’, the architectural company where he worked. Mr. Schaum was a calm and distinguished-looking man, not usually becoming agitated about anything. But this morning he was all excited and eager.
It turned out that the firm was about to be offered a multimillion dollar building project, involving an all-inclusive contract for the construction of a new Hotel complex in Fox Creek, Colorado. The project was huge, but what made it even more compelling was that it possibly would lead to additional future projects within the same hotel chain, thereby confirming the architectural firm’s financial security for years to come. The market had been tough the last couple of years in the architectural sector. Getting this contract would be a major coup, increasing both the profits and the publicity for the rather small firm.
The client had specifically requested the young up-and-coming engineer Michael Scofield to develop the blueprints and to coordinate all aspects of the project. She had also requested that Mr. Scofield should go to Fox Creek with her, to inspect the building-site and discuss possible outlines for the Hotel. Whether 'Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum' would get the assignment would depend on the outcome of that trip.
Michael was naturally overwhelmed and flattered by the assignment. This was too good to be true. Someone had specifically requested him! As the news sunk in and he realized the significance of this project, Michael found himself smirking. It could become a major jumping off point for his career, and the partners had informed him that if he pulled this assignment home and carried the project through to the client’s satisfaction, his odds of becoming the youngest partner ever in the firm would increase exponentially. But his smile had dropped immediately when he heard the name of the client.
Nika Volek..... In just one second it felt like all of the blood was drained from his cheeks. He felt a shiver just thinking about her. Not that she wasn't attractive or charming. Actually she was both. But he knew that this little "lady" could lead him into some major trouble. Trouble he didn't need at the moment.
Argh... no! He didn't want to worry about it right now. He was going on the trip and it was too late to change his mind....he just had to find a way to deal with it, and he forced himself to shift his focus back to the surroundings in the airport waiting area.
The airport had been recently renovated, and Michael loved studying the architectural finesses of this giant building. The ceiling was high, very high. And the wall facing the long row of airplanes actually just consisted of enormous windows, providing full view of the planes. The air terminal was one long, large hall, subdivided into small waiting areas in front of each gate. The waiting area in front of gate 44, where Michael was seated, was rather large, with comfortable seats lined up in rows facing each other in groups.
Most of the travellers were businessmen and women, like himself, dressed in fancy, expensive suits, travelling lightly with small suitcases to avoid having to check luggage, and laptops glued to their knees. None of them spoke, except when they talked to someone on the cellphone.
On the opposite side of the room, Michael noticed a family--a couple with three kids. All of them boys, and all of them very active. It looked like they were about the same age as Linc's kids.....
His mind wandered back to the conversation he had with his brother five days ago. Michael had gone over to Linc's house to get some brotherly advice.
The house was a total mess. Veronica was out of town for a few days at a training for work, so Linc was in charge of the household all by himself. But the chaos didn't seem to bother any of the boys in the house-not the kids or the father.
David and Daniel had obviously been having another bicycle-race in the living room, racing around the usual track from the kitchen, through the living room, out into the hallway, and back into the kitchen again through the other door, creating a circular loop, perfect for the 5-year old twins’ race. This activity was absolutely forbidden when mum was around, but Linc loved hearing the boys cheering and laughing while chasing each other, and the twins knew how to exploit daddy's weakness. So they made use of every minute of wildness and freedom they could.
When Michael arrived, Linc had sent them outside, into the yard. Pete, the oldest at 8 years, had been all excited to see Uncle Michael. Pete was a bit nerdy, more interested in scientific experiments than in playing football like the rest of the boys on his age. He and his uncle seemed to have a special connection, and Michael had realized that it probably was because Pete reminded him so much of himself when he was 8 years old.
Pete had dragged Michael into his room, proudly showing him his new electro-set which he had gotten a few days before. Usually Michael would have loved to spend an hour building with Pete, but this day he had been too distracted and absent-minded to stay in the room for more than a few minutes.
"Want a beer?" Linc asked while opening the fridge and pulling out two Heinekens.
"Sure," Michael agreed while reaching up to extract two large beer glasses from the cupboard.
The brothers entered the living room and sunk down into the large sofa. Linc had a good view through the windows overlooking the yard, keeping track of the twins playing in the snow.
"So, what's up bro?" Linc asked, looking curiously at Michael. It wasn't often that Michael dropped by unexpectedly in the middle of the week. The second Linc had seen Michael coming through the front door, he knew something was up.
"Ehm.... I got a new assignment at work..... a big one," Michael hesitantly informed him.
"That's great, Mike.....What kind of project is it?"
"Well, it's not all settled yet, but we might get this huge contract for a new hotel in Fox Creek in Colorado. And they want me to lead it."
"Whoa Michael, that's really great! So why this stone face?"
"That obvious, huh?". Michael sighed, while searching for the right words to explain the situation."The project is actually fantastic. The best one I've ever been assigned to. I already have all of these great ideas, and in some ways I can't wait to get started. It's not the project that's the problem; it's the client."
"Can't be that bad, can it? Who is it?"
"It can... believe me. It's Nika Volek," Michael frowned.
"Your Nika Volek?"
"She's NOT mine, but yeah, it's her" Michael answered, looking up at his brother to gauge his reaction.
But to Michael’s annoyance Linc burst out in laughter. "That is too freaking funny, dude," he chuckled while slapping his knee. "But you don't have to deal with her directly, do you?"
"Actually I do. It seems she has taken a special interest in this project, and she wants to work closely with me on the whole thing. She's even planned for us to go to Fox Creek together next week, to check out the location."
"Ouch!" Linc laughed,"this could become complicated, Mikey. So why don't you refuse to do it? I'm sure your company could come up with a few other competent engineers for the job."
"That's the problem, Linc! She specifically requested me! If I pull out, the firm wont get the contract. And we really need this assignment."
"Whoa, that woman knows how to play her cards."
"She sure does. I feel like I have to sell my soul to the devil."
"The devil?!? That is some comparison. But from what you've told me about her, she might even be flattered by that reference!" Linc took a swallow of the beer, still smirking, then continued, "So she's really got you trapped, huh? Well, you can't say she didn't warn you." Linc tried to suppress a grin.
"She did. Though I never thought she would really try, after I turned her down. But I'm sure she's right--she always gets what she wants".
"So why don't you just lean back and relax. Ease up a bit on your high standards, and just go along for the ride. You can even take that literally if you want!" And once again he burst out in laughter.
"Very funny, Linc."
"I mean, it's not like she's ugly or anything. Actually she's hot, little bro. And the two of you did hit it a lot in the beginning. Why bother with all the morality? I mean, you're single--you can do whatever the hell you want. You wouldn’t be the one cheating if you two got together; she would. And for all you know, the little mrs. could even have an agreement with the old man, that she's allowed to play around."
"You know me Linc. I'm not going to fool around with a married woman, deal or no deal. The second I found out she was married, I pulled out. And it actually appalled me that she hit on me like that, hiding from me the fact she was married."
"I can't blame her. She'd obviously realized that she didn't stand a chance of getting into your pants if she told you the truth. So why would she? Just seems like a committed and goal-oriented chick to me." Once again he was smirking.
"It's just wrong, Linc. But I have no idea how to reject her again, without her pulling back the contract from the firm. It's like I have to prostitute myself for this job. So please tell me how to get out of this."
"You're asking me how to turn down a drop dead hot chick, who is practically serving herself up to you on a plate? And she's even willing to sign your firm to this huge contract that would not only be a goldmine for your company, but would probably also give your own career a major lift? How do you get out of THAT? You're a peculiar man Michael. Nope, I have no idea how to do that. But knowing you, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out…"
"Henry! You're not listening!" A sharp female voice brought Michael back to the present.
On his left an elderly couple was seated. Right next to him was the woman who had snapped at her husband for not paying enough attention to her, and on her other side was the hapless Henry. Since Michael had been seated next to them for about an hour, he had soon learned that they had just spent the weekend at their son’s house, seeing their newborn grandchild for the first time.
The woman had so far spent most of the waiting time commenting on pictures of their new granddaughter, and she continued showing the photos to her husband, expecting him to share her everlasting joy and excitement about the little miracle. Michael had been quite impressed by the husband's stamina, but after an hour the man was getting tired and his answers were becoming shorter and terser, eventually just sounding like a few occasional grunts; all to his wife's major dissatisfaction. But the lady was unremitting, and as she gave up on the husband, she looked around for another victim.
Michael silently cursed himself the second his eyes met hers. Her face literally brightened up, and Michael immediately knew he was in big trouble.
"Ah... this delay is so annoying, don't you think? You must be all stressed out about wasting your time here. You look like a busy young man." She studied his suit. "On a business trip?"
"Yes" Michael replied rather dismissively, supplying a shorter answer that he would typically provide. But he didn't think it would help to encourage her any more than necessary.
"Yes, I thought so, I thought so," she continued. "I know how to recognize an important young businessman when I see one. Actually you remind me of my son, well, our son," she corrected, as she gestured towards her husband. "We've just visited him and our daughter-in-law. They are such a lovely couple. And they just had their first child--actually our first grandchild," she said with a gleaming face.
Before Michael had a chance to brush her off with another short answer, she pulled out the photo album again, and placed it in his lap.
"You really must see these pictures. Let me show you."
And not giving him a chance to decline, the sweet lady started a long and thorough presentation of the hundreds of pictures, all featuring the same subject, in different situations. Actually Michael thought the pictures all looked the same…the baby sleeping or eating. The only thing that changed was the colour of the romper suit.
Michael didn't say anything; he couldn't get a word in edgeways anyway, and pretty soon he kind of gave up, leaning back and letting her talk. She didn't seem to notice his quietness, and maybe she didn't care either. She was just happy that she had the chance to go through the pictures once more.
As the photographs and the minutes passed by, Michael became more and more frustrated, frantically searching for a way to get out of the situation. But the lady was clever. She had an impressive ability to breathe in the middle of a sentence, so that she didn't leave any gaps in the conversation for Michael to try to end it. After about 15 minutes he started to wonder if she had been hit by some kind of grandmother-puerperal manic condition.
Just as he was about to give up on being polite, and snap at her with a desperate comment to make her stop, someone suddenly called out for him.
"Michael, is that really you?! God, it's so good to see you!!"
He looked up and recognized the young woman to whom he had offered his seat a few hours ago.
"Erm..huh?" he reluctantly stammered, having no idea how she knew his name, and why she suddenly seemed to be so familiar with him.
"Well, don't just sit there. Get up and give me a hug!" she ordered. And before he knew what had happened, she pulled him up and embraced him tightly...
tbc....
if you haven't read it. :)
Category: AU
Characters: Michael Scofield, Sara Tancredi, Lincoln Burrows, Veronica Donovan, Nika Volek, Nurse Katie, Charles Westmoreland, Paul Kellerman, Frank Tancredi
Genres: Romance, drama, angst
Pairing: Michael/Sara
Warnings: Work in progress
Word count: 6281
Summary: Michael is in the airport on his way to Colorado on a business trip. A business trip he's not too happy about. When he gets into a sticky situation in the departure lounge, he's rescued by Sara, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. But things get complicated once they arrive at the destination. Will they have a chance?
Note: Second chapter is up. Once again THANKS to my two lovely beta's, Jen and Elke. You guys are amazing!! :)
This one is Sara's POV. Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"Aw thanks, that's so kind of you," she had murmured shyly, as an attractive man about her age got up and offered her his seat. After having searched for a place to sit for about half an hour already, she was profoundly grateful to sit down and relax, finally.
She'd been stressed out all afternoon, worried that she would miss her flight. The staggering amounts of snow had created the usual traffic chaos in Chicago and it had been impossible hailing a cab. As humiliating as it was, she finally had been forced to call her father's office for help.
She hated that.
Hated everything related to his office and his post as governor, and she usually made a point of never taking advantage of the fringe benefits related to his job. But since it seemed like the weather and the ensuing traffic jam had joined forces against her this particular day, she had finally surrendered to make the agonizing call.
Her father's office had sent a limousine to pick her up immediately and she had to admit to herself that she had never been so relieved to see that limo as today. The driver had told her to calm down; it appeared that all flights had been delayed because of the snowstorm, so they had plenty of time.
He was right. When she arrived at the airport, she hastily checked out the electronic board for departing flights, which informed her that all planes were delayed for at least three hours. A relieved sigh slipped from her lips as she realized she would indeed make it out of Chicago and she quickly checked her luggage, passing through security surprisingly fast.
But finding a seat in the terminal turned out to be an unusually daunting challenge, so after about 30 minutes she was truly grateful when the young man apparently took pity on her and let her have his seat.
Hmm....good to see that the species of Gentlemenus Americanus is not entirely extinct, she silently told herself, as she slipped into the warm seat.
And whoa....this one is even good-looking, she noticed, as she let her eyes roam over the tall, slender figure hastily packing up his laptop in his attaché case.
As he leaned down and picked up his newspaper from the floor, his boarding pass slipped out of his pocket. Before he even noticed it himself, Sara quickly scooped up the pass and handed it over.
"Um...you dropped your boarding pass. Here you are Mr......Scofield," she offered, not being able to resist checking out his name.
"Ah, thanks. I better hold on to that," he replied with an impish grin as he slid the pass down into his case. Their fingers accidentally touched during the exchange and a small electrical shock jolted through her body; a shock she wasn't familiar with but which she liked nonetheless.
She caught a quick glimpse of his eyes, immediately feeling drawn into those intense, deep blue pools, which almost made her heart skip a beat.
"Thanks again for the seat. You're a true gentleman," she had said softly, mesmerized. But the man had already turned away and strolled towards another gate, not hearing her last comment.
He seemed to embody the 'tall, dark and handsome' ideal of a man, and even though she usually loathed the suit-wearing type, which reminded her all too much of her father and his cronies, she had to admit that this man looked sinfully good in a suit. It fit him perfectly, revealing his well-shaped masculine body with broad shoulders, slim waist, and lean thighs--not to mention his nice firm butt--which almost asked to be grabbed and pinched.
A few flashes suddenly popped into her head, picturing them standing together, face to face, her own hands reaching behind him and roaming over those well shaped naked buttocks, feeling the well-trained, muscular gluteus maximus underneath. In her fantasy her hands trailed up his back and drew around his shoulders, caressing his chest, appreciating the taut hard-body beneath her fingers while letting herself drown in a pair of steel blue mesmerizing eyes. The fantasy instantly made her flush and stirred something deep inside her, which had been neglected for a long time.
Jeez Sara.....you're pathetic. Sitting here drooling over some stranger!
Here she was. 29 years old. Depressingly single, without one date during the last 2 years. She hadn't even been close to one. Not that she hadn't had opportunities. She'd had plenty of offers. But ever since her teenage years she'd had a predilection for the wrong kind of men - the bad ones, as her friend Katie said. And so far these guys had done nothing but get her into trouble.
So when two years ago she started her 'new life', she had voluntarily taken a vow of celibacy and promised herself not to be bewitched by another alpha male again. She needed to get her life back on track, without the distraction of a man who typically wanted something from her, whether it was her body, drugs, or just the benefits stemming from her name. She had come to the conclusion that since she was such a lousy judge of character, she might as well play it safe for a while.
Her self-imposed celibacy had proven surprisingly easy. Actually she loved the independence and freedom her vow had brought, and it was exceedingly liberating to say whatever came to mind without worrying about being more clever than the men around her, thereby scaring them off....
So after two years of barren sexual winter she was actually surprised to feel the carnal instincts springing to life again, without warning. She couldn't believe she was sitting here in the airport lusting over some unknown man, who just happened to be nice to her. She was quite pathetic.
Get a grip! she silently scolded herself, as she forced her attention to the medical journal she had plucked out of her crammed handbag. Figuring that her indecent thoughts had to be some weird rebound effect from her panicky getaway earlier this afternoon, she leaned back and started reading an utterly boring article titled The effects of valproat compared to lithium on acute manic episodes in bipolar disorder.
Ten minutes later she gave up. Still feeling the high adrenaline levels in her blood after the mortifying limo trip, mixed in with the weird distraction of encountering perfectly shaped buttocks, she realized that she felt too manic herself to be able to focus on a boring medical journal article. Why read about the symptoms of mania when she was experiencing them herself?
She was actually surprised that she had felt so panicked this afternoon. She wouldn't usually consider the possibility of missing a plane back to Denver so disastrous, but the thought of spending another night in Chicago had repulsed her tremendously.
She was so relieved to be heading home; actually quite happy that her Chicago trip had been shortened by three days. She thought that by now it would have been easier returning to her old life in the windy city, but every time she visited her father and her old friends, the melancholic memories seemed to catch up with her making her once again regret the trip. This was no exception. Her dark thoughts brought her back to the events since landing in Chicago.
The initial few days of her visit were good. Her father seemed happy to see her, and for once he'd actually asked her a little about her 'new life'. Not much - actually just a few questions. But it was enough to make her feel, that he after all maybe cared a little.
Even though she had lived in Fox Creek for two years, he still hadn't found the time to come visit her. Not that it surprised her. It had been like that for as long as she could remember. His political career, and now his burdensome tasks as the Governor of Illinois, had made him a very distant figure in her life. In some ways she had come to terms with his neglect, but it still hurt a bit every time he cancelled another appointment with her because something more important came up.
After having spent a few days with friends, Sara and her father planned to have a birthday dinner together. Just the two of them at her favourite restaurant to celebrate her 29th birthday.
They had agreed to meet at «The Mamma Rosa». As usual Sara arrived a few minutes late, and hurried into the restaurant, asking the maître d’ for the Tancredi table.
«Miss Tancredi?» he asked. «I'm afraid I have a message for you.»
Her heart dropped instantly; she knew what he was about to say. Not again!
«Governor Tancredi's secretary called a few minutes ago. She asked us to inform you that the governor unfortunately was forced to leave town this afternoon due to an emergency meeting in Washington D.C. He won't be back until the day after tomorrow.»
It felt like a slap in her face.
«And she asked me to tell you that the governor was very sorry, and that he will make it up to you the next time you're in town, Miss Tancredi.»
Trying to find a facial expression which didn't reveal her disappointment, she simply nodded. It was all about appearances in her family.
It wasn't just the cancellation itself that hurt so much; it was that fact that once again he didn't even have the decency to pick up the phone to call her himself.
«OK. Thanks for telling me,» she told the maître d, trying to sound unaffected, but feeling tears starting to fill her eyes.
She quickly left the restaurant and was grateful she managed to get a cab straight away. But sitting in the cab on her way back to her father's house, a long line of the bad memories marched through her mind and she soon found herself weeping like a little schoolgirl.
Birthday parties without her dad....... Images of him and her beside her mother's grave...... Graduation day from med school, feeling the shame of being the only one without a family member present....... Rough years during her internship...... Long night shifts..... Morphine to get through the night..... Addiction.... Bad company...... Another funeral...... Breakdown.....
The thoughts came over her like a huge wave, crashing her back to the feeling of despair and hopelessness that had driven her away from Chicago two years ago. For two years she had almost managed to keep this breakdown out of her mind, blocking it out completely, sometimes almost as if it never happened.
But now, sitting in the cab, tears were streaming down her cheeks again. She had fled away from it all and had managed to start a new life away from the stress, the drugs, and her father's disapproving glare.
Before the cab returned to her father's house, she arrived at a decision. She had to shorten her stay in Chicago. She had to get away from here. She needed to get back to Colorado...back to her refuge and safe haven. Away from the bad memories....she had to make her past fade away again...
Sara's attention shifted back to present time. Back to the airport and the crowded gate. But despite the chaos, and the uncertainty about when her plane would depart, she now felt better. Relieved. Happy to be leaving all the bad memories behind and to jump back on track once again. She decided to give the manic episodes another try...
~*~
An hour passed by, and she actually managed to get through the article learning that lithium indeed had a superior effect at reducing the manic episodes, as compared to valproat. Considering her recent emotional upheaval, she wondered if she should prescribe herself some lithium.
When she finished and looked up, she noticed that Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome had returned. He was now seated a few rows away from her, reading his newspaper thoroughly, looking slightly restless.
From her position she had a perfect view of his profile and once again she couldn't help admiring his beautiful appearance. Since this time she could observe him from a distance without his knowledge, she gave in to the temptation of checking him out more thoroughly.
The man was clean-shaven with strong classical features, sporting a crew-cut hair style. He had the most perfectly tennis-ball-shaped head she'd ever seen and his skin was smooth and perfect. She noticed a single mole on his left temple. But other than that she would have described his skin to be spotless.
He was tall, about 6'1". Broad shoulders. Lean and athletic, maybe a swimmer?
Michael Scofield, she remembered from the boarding card.
Nice name...suits him well. Wonder what such a man does for living?
Armani suit....gotta make a good salary....Maybe an attorney? Or an accountant? Doctor? Hmm... no, she probably would have recognized a colleague...
He radiated a certain amount of confidence and she felt quite sure that he was good at what he did.
A politician? No.
He definitely had the looks and the charisma for politics, but somehow he seemed a bit too shy... and maybe a bit too genuine as well? Knowing the inside of the political circus all too well, she couldn't make him fit there either.
But maybe the suit was a cover up--some kind of camouflage? Maybe a secret agent? Sara smiled at her own rather silly thoughts.
He could be some kind of workman or craftsman.
Her eyes trailed down to his hands, noticing the long, graceful, slender fingers; showing no sign of hard work.
No, those hands were too well-cared-for. Maybe some kind of artist? Hmm...
He did seem almost artistically graceful, but the suit didn't fit the profile of a bohemian artist. No he had to be some kind of businessman.
Sara's eyes were drawn back to the hands again.
She silently swallowed. He was holding a pen between his fingertips, slowly playing with it. Moving the index finger slowly up and down along the pen. She was completely entranced by these fingers, her mouth dropping slightly open.
Wow...wonder what he could do with those fingers?
Her mind was going straight to the gutter again, but this time she didn't try to stop herself. On the contrary she found pleasure in dwelling on the forbidden thoughts. Relishing the long lost excitement he somehow awoke in her, she let herself linger on the fantasy. She found the thought of having an intimate moment with this Adonis surprisingly appealing and she would have loved exploring the man’s body thoroughly. Not only admiring all his glory from a distance, but touching him, feeling him......
She silently suppressed a deep sigh, blushing at the same time.
The primordial urge to touch the man was overwhelming and she imagined cupping his head with her hands, letting her light touch follow the curvature forward along the crown of his skull and angling down to his forehead. She envisaged her fingers lingering a moment on his skin, appreciatively exploring the mole on his temple. She would brush over his forehead and his cheeks with her fingertips, ending up at his lips.
Ahh...those lips. Full and perfectly sculptured. She could actually detect the softness and sensitivity they possessed. She imagined exploring them, letting her index finger slide along his upper lip -full and soft - moving down to his lower lip, urging him to open his mouth. She imagined him gently biting her finger, teasing her and letting his tongue sweep over her fingertip. Something stirred deep within her and shivers travelled up her spine just thinking about how she would lean in and nip that bottom lip with her own, licking and teasing it, tasting him and finally taking his mouth in possession of her own.
Whoa Sara, she silently told herself. ....Seems like Katie is right. You really do need to get laid!
She was so surprised by her reaction towards him. It had been a long time since a man had produced such an effect on her. Actually she couldn't remember ever being so instantly attracted to anybody like this.
But it seemed like she wasn't the only one interested in the Adonis. An elderly woman seated next to him had pulled out a photo album, enthusiastically showing him the pictures.
Sara could hear fragments of what appeared to be an impressive monologue from the chatty woman, with a detailed description of her first grandchild's outstanding qualities, including claims that she was the most beautiful child anyone had ever seen. Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome was very polite and silently listened to the grandmother’s extremely biased glorification of the infant prodigy. The lady was cornering the poor guy completely, not leaving him a chance to cut her off.
Sara actually found the situation rather amusing, and couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome had endured enough.
After 5 minutes Sara was impressed. This man really had patience.
When another 5 minutes had passed, she started feeling sorry for him. This garrulous grandmother was relentless. Sara knew he would have to cut her off quite rudely to make her stop and it was obvious that he didn't have the heart to do it...yet...
Another 5 minutes passed and the signs were obvious now. The 'meltdown' was approaching quickly and a blow-off seemed inevitable.
But suddenly Sara had an idea and before she had time to think it through, she popped up off her seat and set out on a rescue mission.
With a few long, quick strides she «incidentally» approached the couple.
"Michael, is that really you?! God, it's so good to see you!!"
She was trying to appear as though she only just spotted him, and she was surprised by her own impulsiveness. The man was completely bewildered by her interference and obviously didn't know how to respond.
Afraid he would ruin the rescue mission before it had even begun, Sara carried on, completely acting on an impulse;
"Well, don't just sit there. Get up and give me a hug!" she demanded, shocked by the boldness in her own voice.
And before either of them really realized what was happening, she pulled him up and embraced him with her long slender arms.
tbc........
Chapter End Notes:
I know..... Not much action in this chapter either, but we needed to get some background story on Sara too. But I really enjoyed writing this chappie. For some reason it was very easy to get into Saras mind when studying Mr. Scofield ...;) Guess it's time for some MiSa flirting now....?!? Yes...??
But peeps; I need some feedback. Pleeaase leave me review and tell me if I should keep going with this??
And here's
Chapter 1
"Flight 6340 to Seattle with a planned departure at 4:30 is now ready for boarding at gate 45. Please have your boarding pass and your ID ready. And once again we apologize for the delay."
The voice from the loudspeaker resonated throughout the terminals at the Chicago O'Hare Airport. People started lining up at gate no.45, all eager to board the plane. The departure was scheduled three hours ago, so it wasn't strange that a certain impatience could be noticed in the passengers.
Michael had finally gotten hold of a seat in the waiting area. His plane for Denver should have left two hours ago, but there was still no sign that it would leave any time soon.
He could see the Boeing 737 just outside through the enormous windows. It was dark, but the planes were lit up by giant spotlights. It was still snowing heavily and the road sweepers were driving non-stop back and forth on the runways, trying to keep them clear. It seemed to be an impossible task at the moment. The snow still poured down, and it looked like the cement became covered with a fresh layer of snow just minutes after it had been cleared. Planes were lining up, all waiting for a free runway for take-off. But because of the snow, they only managed about 8 departures each hour, which was just about a tenth of the usual rate.
Michael once again glanced up at the board above the gate. Denver, Flight #593, Departure Delayed was still flashing annoyingly down at him, almost as if the sign was mocking him personally. There was not even an 'Estimated New Departure Time' yet.
Relieved that he at least finally had located a seat in the waiting area, he picked up his laptop, eager to get some work done. A few curses crossed his mind as he realized that the batteries had gone flat during his long search for a seat, and frustrated he slipped the laptop down into the bag again. Instead he leaned back and sighed deeply. People around him seemed to have settled in, somehow accepting that they might be here for a long time. He wished he knew how to do that. He tapped his fingers on his suit clad legs and forced himself to calm down. There was nothing he could do about the snow, although he wished he could have performed some magic.
An hour later he had gone through all the articles of today's edition of the Chicago Tribune twice, checked his mail about 20 times, surfed the news on his PDA, and consumed two grande-size Starbucks coffees. Michael was getting restless.
Usually his days would be tightly scheduled, full of meetings and appointments with clients or co-workers, and Mrs. Clark, his highly treasured secretary, would always see to that he never wasted a minute. Michael was a highly efficient man--he liked it that way.
But when he had left the office this afternoon, Mrs. Clark had informed him of the bad weather forecast, with warnings about a snow-storm approaching Chicago. Usually Michael would consider himself quite a stable and well-balanced person, but after the last couple of days filled with emotional fluctuations like a roller-coaster-ride, he had not been pleased with the prospect of spending hours at the airport waiting for a take-off…a take-off for a destination that was scaring him more and more, the closer it came.
And so far, life wasn’t treating him well. The airport was a nightmare, the hallways filled with impatient travellers, all annoyed that it wasn't their plane that was next in line for departure. There weren't enough seats for everybody, so after giving up his seat for a young, pretty lady an hour ago, he had wandered restlessly around the crowded airport looking for a seat. It wasn't until travellers for the Seattle departure started boarding that he finally found one.
But what was worse, the wait had given him plenty of time to mentally review the sticky situation in which he found himself. A situation he didn't know how to handle. And the longer he thought about it, the more convinced he became that this whole trip was a BIG mistake.
It was a business-trip, -and not just any business trip. It was without doubt the greatest and most exciting project he had ever been involved in, and yet, he had this aching feeling in his stomach, telling him he was getting into dangerous territory. His mind drifted a week back in time.
Right after the morning briefing, he was called into one of the senior-partner’s office at 'Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum’, the architectural company where he worked. Mr. Schaum was a calm and distinguished-looking man, not usually becoming agitated about anything. But this morning he was all excited and eager.
It turned out that the firm was about to be offered a multimillion dollar building project, involving an all-inclusive contract for the construction of a new Hotel complex in Fox Creek, Colorado. The project was huge, but what made it even more compelling was that it possibly would lead to additional future projects within the same hotel chain, thereby confirming the architectural firm’s financial security for years to come. The market had been tough the last couple of years in the architectural sector. Getting this contract would be a major coup, increasing both the profits and the publicity for the rather small firm.
The client had specifically requested the young up-and-coming engineer Michael Scofield to develop the blueprints and to coordinate all aspects of the project. She had also requested that Mr. Scofield should go to Fox Creek with her, to inspect the building-site and discuss possible outlines for the Hotel. Whether 'Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum' would get the assignment would depend on the outcome of that trip.
Michael was naturally overwhelmed and flattered by the assignment. This was too good to be true. Someone had specifically requested him! As the news sunk in and he realized the significance of this project, Michael found himself smirking. It could become a major jumping off point for his career, and the partners had informed him that if he pulled this assignment home and carried the project through to the client’s satisfaction, his odds of becoming the youngest partner ever in the firm would increase exponentially. But his smile had dropped immediately when he heard the name of the client.
Nika Volek..... In just one second it felt like all of the blood was drained from his cheeks. He felt a shiver just thinking about her. Not that she wasn't attractive or charming. Actually she was both. But he knew that this little "lady" could lead him into some major trouble. Trouble he didn't need at the moment.
Argh... no! He didn't want to worry about it right now. He was going on the trip and it was too late to change his mind....he just had to find a way to deal with it, and he forced himself to shift his focus back to the surroundings in the airport waiting area.
The airport had been recently renovated, and Michael loved studying the architectural finesses of this giant building. The ceiling was high, very high. And the wall facing the long row of airplanes actually just consisted of enormous windows, providing full view of the planes. The air terminal was one long, large hall, subdivided into small waiting areas in front of each gate. The waiting area in front of gate 44, where Michael was seated, was rather large, with comfortable seats lined up in rows facing each other in groups.
Most of the travellers were businessmen and women, like himself, dressed in fancy, expensive suits, travelling lightly with small suitcases to avoid having to check luggage, and laptops glued to their knees. None of them spoke, except when they talked to someone on the cellphone.
On the opposite side of the room, Michael noticed a family--a couple with three kids. All of them boys, and all of them very active. It looked like they were about the same age as Linc's kids.....
His mind wandered back to the conversation he had with his brother five days ago. Michael had gone over to Linc's house to get some brotherly advice.
The house was a total mess. Veronica was out of town for a few days at a training for work, so Linc was in charge of the household all by himself. But the chaos didn't seem to bother any of the boys in the house-not the kids or the father.
David and Daniel had obviously been having another bicycle-race in the living room, racing around the usual track from the kitchen, through the living room, out into the hallway, and back into the kitchen again through the other door, creating a circular loop, perfect for the 5-year old twins’ race. This activity was absolutely forbidden when mum was around, but Linc loved hearing the boys cheering and laughing while chasing each other, and the twins knew how to exploit daddy's weakness. So they made use of every minute of wildness and freedom they could.
When Michael arrived, Linc had sent them outside, into the yard. Pete, the oldest at 8 years, had been all excited to see Uncle Michael. Pete was a bit nerdy, more interested in scientific experiments than in playing football like the rest of the boys on his age. He and his uncle seemed to have a special connection, and Michael had realized that it probably was because Pete reminded him so much of himself when he was 8 years old.
Pete had dragged Michael into his room, proudly showing him his new electro-set which he had gotten a few days before. Usually Michael would have loved to spend an hour building with Pete, but this day he had been too distracted and absent-minded to stay in the room for more than a few minutes.
"Want a beer?" Linc asked while opening the fridge and pulling out two Heinekens.
"Sure," Michael agreed while reaching up to extract two large beer glasses from the cupboard.
The brothers entered the living room and sunk down into the large sofa. Linc had a good view through the windows overlooking the yard, keeping track of the twins playing in the snow.
"So, what's up bro?" Linc asked, looking curiously at Michael. It wasn't often that Michael dropped by unexpectedly in the middle of the week. The second Linc had seen Michael coming through the front door, he knew something was up.
"Ehm.... I got a new assignment at work..... a big one," Michael hesitantly informed him.
"That's great, Mike.....What kind of project is it?"
"Well, it's not all settled yet, but we might get this huge contract for a new hotel in Fox Creek in Colorado. And they want me to lead it."
"Whoa Michael, that's really great! So why this stone face?"
"That obvious, huh?". Michael sighed, while searching for the right words to explain the situation."The project is actually fantastic. The best one I've ever been assigned to. I already have all of these great ideas, and in some ways I can't wait to get started. It's not the project that's the problem; it's the client."
"Can't be that bad, can it? Who is it?"
"It can... believe me. It's Nika Volek," Michael frowned.
"Your Nika Volek?"
"She's NOT mine, but yeah, it's her" Michael answered, looking up at his brother to gauge his reaction.
But to Michael’s annoyance Linc burst out in laughter. "That is too freaking funny, dude," he chuckled while slapping his knee. "But you don't have to deal with her directly, do you?"
"Actually I do. It seems she has taken a special interest in this project, and she wants to work closely with me on the whole thing. She's even planned for us to go to Fox Creek together next week, to check out the location."
"Ouch!" Linc laughed,"this could become complicated, Mikey. So why don't you refuse to do it? I'm sure your company could come up with a few other competent engineers for the job."
"That's the problem, Linc! She specifically requested me! If I pull out, the firm wont get the contract. And we really need this assignment."
"Whoa, that woman knows how to play her cards."
"She sure does. I feel like I have to sell my soul to the devil."
"The devil?!? That is some comparison. But from what you've told me about her, she might even be flattered by that reference!" Linc took a swallow of the beer, still smirking, then continued, "So she's really got you trapped, huh? Well, you can't say she didn't warn you." Linc tried to suppress a grin.
"She did. Though I never thought she would really try, after I turned her down. But I'm sure she's right--she always gets what she wants".
"So why don't you just lean back and relax. Ease up a bit on your high standards, and just go along for the ride. You can even take that literally if you want!" And once again he burst out in laughter.
"Very funny, Linc."
"I mean, it's not like she's ugly or anything. Actually she's hot, little bro. And the two of you did hit it a lot in the beginning. Why bother with all the morality? I mean, you're single--you can do whatever the hell you want. You wouldn’t be the one cheating if you two got together; she would. And for all you know, the little mrs. could even have an agreement with the old man, that she's allowed to play around."
"You know me Linc. I'm not going to fool around with a married woman, deal or no deal. The second I found out she was married, I pulled out. And it actually appalled me that she hit on me like that, hiding from me the fact she was married."
"I can't blame her. She'd obviously realized that she didn't stand a chance of getting into your pants if she told you the truth. So why would she? Just seems like a committed and goal-oriented chick to me." Once again he was smirking.
"It's just wrong, Linc. But I have no idea how to reject her again, without her pulling back the contract from the firm. It's like I have to prostitute myself for this job. So please tell me how to get out of this."
"You're asking me how to turn down a drop dead hot chick, who is practically serving herself up to you on a plate? And she's even willing to sign your firm to this huge contract that would not only be a goldmine for your company, but would probably also give your own career a major lift? How do you get out of THAT? You're a peculiar man Michael. Nope, I have no idea how to do that. But knowing you, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out…"
"Henry! You're not listening!" A sharp female voice brought Michael back to the present.
On his left an elderly couple was seated. Right next to him was the woman who had snapped at her husband for not paying enough attention to her, and on her other side was the hapless Henry. Since Michael had been seated next to them for about an hour, he had soon learned that they had just spent the weekend at their son’s house, seeing their newborn grandchild for the first time.
The woman had so far spent most of the waiting time commenting on pictures of their new granddaughter, and she continued showing the photos to her husband, expecting him to share her everlasting joy and excitement about the little miracle. Michael had been quite impressed by the husband's stamina, but after an hour the man was getting tired and his answers were becoming shorter and terser, eventually just sounding like a few occasional grunts; all to his wife's major dissatisfaction. But the lady was unremitting, and as she gave up on the husband, she looked around for another victim.
Michael silently cursed himself the second his eyes met hers. Her face literally brightened up, and Michael immediately knew he was in big trouble.
"Ah... this delay is so annoying, don't you think? You must be all stressed out about wasting your time here. You look like a busy young man." She studied his suit. "On a business trip?"
"Yes" Michael replied rather dismissively, supplying a shorter answer that he would typically provide. But he didn't think it would help to encourage her any more than necessary.
"Yes, I thought so, I thought so," she continued. "I know how to recognize an important young businessman when I see one. Actually you remind me of my son, well, our son," she corrected, as she gestured towards her husband. "We've just visited him and our daughter-in-law. They are such a lovely couple. And they just had their first child--actually our first grandchild," she said with a gleaming face.
Before Michael had a chance to brush her off with another short answer, she pulled out the photo album again, and placed it in his lap.
"You really must see these pictures. Let me show you."
And not giving him a chance to decline, the sweet lady started a long and thorough presentation of the hundreds of pictures, all featuring the same subject, in different situations. Actually Michael thought the pictures all looked the same…the baby sleeping or eating. The only thing that changed was the colour of the romper suit.
Michael didn't say anything; he couldn't get a word in edgeways anyway, and pretty soon he kind of gave up, leaning back and letting her talk. She didn't seem to notice his quietness, and maybe she didn't care either. She was just happy that she had the chance to go through the pictures once more.
As the photographs and the minutes passed by, Michael became more and more frustrated, frantically searching for a way to get out of the situation. But the lady was clever. She had an impressive ability to breathe in the middle of a sentence, so that she didn't leave any gaps in the conversation for Michael to try to end it. After about 15 minutes he started to wonder if she had been hit by some kind of grandmother-puerperal manic condition.
Just as he was about to give up on being polite, and snap at her with a desperate comment to make her stop, someone suddenly called out for him.
"Michael, is that really you?! God, it's so good to see you!!"
He looked up and recognized the young woman to whom he had offered his seat a few hours ago.
"Erm..huh?" he reluctantly stammered, having no idea how she knew his name, and why she suddenly seemed to be so familiar with him.
"Well, don't just sit there. Get up and give me a hug!" she ordered. And before he knew what had happened, she pulled him up and embraced him tightly...
tbc....
if you haven't read it. :)