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serafina20Fic: Sona
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Michael/Mahone
Summary: Hell on earth is found at La Penitenciaría Federal de Sona.
Alex half dragged, half led Michael back into the building. A small crowd had gathered in the entrance, but the made room for Alex to pass. He could feel the heated gazes on his back, sizing him up. Taking his measure.
For now, though, there was no one who wanted to test him. One--maybe two, he wasn't sure--kills in one night was enough. At least for now.
He shoved Michael into the corner. "Sit."
Michael hit the wall. Turned and slid to the floor slowly. His back slid wetly down the wall, leaving blood. Legs splayed out on the damp concrete ground. His head lolled as he looked up at Alex through swollen eyes, blood flowing thickly from his nose, his mouth.
Tony was lying against the wall. He propped his head on his fist, looking at Alex and Michael curiously.
"Water?" Alex asked.
"¿Cuál está en él para mí?"
"What?"
"He wants to know what's in it for him," Michael said, voice flat and colorless.
"I don't kick your ass."
Tony shrugged. Lay back.
"Fine. You can stay here for the night. On the blanket. And if anyone hassles you, I'll drive them off."
"Okay." Tony climbed to his feet and walked off.
With a groan, Alex crouched in front of Michael. Pulled his eyelids up, ignoring the hiss of pain, to check his pupils. They were the same size, clear, focused on his face, if wet and watery.
He let Michael's eyelids fall. Gingerly touched his nose, feeling the bones.
Michael bit his lip. Grimaced, eyes shut. Jerked away when Alex hit a sensitive spot.
Alex probed it a couple more times. "I don't think it's broken. Just bruised." He touched it again.
"Stop it."
"What, you don't like that? Does it hurt?" Alex pressed his finger against the sore spot again.
Michael smacked his hand away.
"What, so now you fight?" He shoved Michael against the wall. "Now you start hitting back?" Shoved again, so hard Michael's head snapped against the wall.
Pain flashed across his face. He grabbed Alex's hands. Twisted them away, fighting Alex as he pushed back. "You are the one who wants to kill me, aren't you? Shouldn't I defend myself from you?"
He worked one hand free. Grabbed Michael by the neck and forced him down. Onto his back, Alex on top, his knee between Michael's legs, pressing against his crotch, threatening. "Just because I'm a threat, doesn't mean I'm the only threat, Michael. They would have killed you out there, is that what you wanted?"
"I didn't ask you to save me." He forced Alex's arm behind his back. Pushed it up, sending a wrenching pain through Alex's back. "You would have been rid of me. Considering how much you've been whining about me ruining your life, I'd've thought you'd be dying for that to happen."
"If anyone's going to kill you, it's going to be me." He squeezed his hand.
Michael's face twisted. He gasped. Coughed, blood splashing on his lips. Chin. "Then do it," he rasped. "Stop fucking with me and do it already."
"I should. All my worries would be over." He tightened his hand.
Michael laughed soundlessly. His chest heaved. Both hands were hanging on to Alex's arm, tugging futility, trying to free himself enough to breath. "All your worries," he whispered. "Stuck... in a p-prison that law forgot. In Panama." He coughed, face bright red as he struggled to get air. "No one knows your here. You're a dead man. Buried alive."
"I'm not staying."
The words shocked him. Shocked him so much, he released Michael's throat. Cold, damp concrete bit into his hands as he held himself over Michael, looking down at him.
I'm not staying.
He was planning on living. On surviving this. On getting out.
He *wanted* to live.
"Shit," he said. He wanted to live. And the only man who could possibly get him out was perfectly willing to let vultures pick him over and leave him for dead.
"What?"
He wanted to live. It wasn't even about Pam or Cameron anymore. He wanted to live because he wasn't ready to give up on life. The past year and some had been hell. Made him forget why he loved.... anything, really. But now...
He wanted his wife and son. But, if he couldn't have them, he just wanted *something*. Another chance.
And this man was the only person here who could help him get that chance. Together, they could get out. It wasn't impossible.
Michael just had to want it.
Alex had to give him a reason.
He climbed off of Michael. Sat next to him, at his head.
Tony was standing uncertainly a few feet away. He had two bottles of water in his hands.
Alex reached out for them. Took them and looked at the contents disdainfully. The bottles were sealed, but he still didn't trust the water. No doubt he and Michael would spend some time being ill over the next few days, adjusting.
"Here." He handed a bottle to Michael, who hadn't moved.
Michael took it silently. Opened the water and sat up, taking a few sips before laying back down.
He checked his watch. "You sleep first," he said. "We'll sleep in shifts. Three hours each."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know about you, but I don't quite trust those around us. I'd sleep better with someone watching my back. So. I watch yours, you watch mine." He glanced at Tony, who was making himself comfortable next to Michael. "You need more sleep than I do."
He raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure that? Because you haven't been strangled in the last few minutes?" He sat up. Stretched. Then shifted so he laying stretched on the blanket, Tony behind him, against the wall. He lay his head back down, almost pressed against Alex's leg.
"Something like that." He watched as Michael closed his eyes, long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. Cheeks molted purple with bruises, splashed dark burgundy with blood. Blood on his lips, bitten and swollen, painful to look at. Long, skinny marks darkening on his neck, around his throat.
He didn't feel guilty. He didn't feel anything. Just a burning in the pit of his stomach. Resolve. Need. Alex needed to get out of here. This was not how he was going to die. Not the end of him.
Need. For the man at his side. The one man who might be able to get them both out.
His enemy. A man he hated. Had grown to hate, reluctantly. Hated because Alex wasn't a good enough man. Wasn't...
He had to put it aside. Not just because he had to work with Michael, but because he had to convince Michael to do this. Remind him of what he'd fought for. What had brought him here and what still waited for him outside. Because, right now, it was all too obvious that Michael was willing to disappear and be buried alive here.
That wasn't going to happen. And Alex had to find some way to convince Michael life was worth fighting for. Even still.
Michael shivered. Coughed. His eyes opened.
"Sleep," Alex said.
"Can't." He rolled onto his stomach. Crossed his arms under his head. "This is hell. And you want me to sleep?"
"It is hell. And you still need to sleep." He placed his hand on Michael's back. Rubbed tight muscles. "First order of survival. Shelter. Food. Water. Sleep. Take it. Sleep."
"What's the point?"
Gently, he squeezed Michael's neck. "I'll tell you when you wake up."
Michael laughed, but didn't say anything further. He lay, docile, as Alex rubbed his upper back, stomach twisting, frustration tightening his jaw as he did. He wanted nothing more than to snap the smug bastard's neck. To break each of his fingers, making him suffer the way Alex had suffered.
But he couldn't. He needed Michael. And he would play nice until they were out of this shithole. And then...
Then he'd see.
Part 3
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Michael/Mahone
Summary: Hell on earth is found at La Penitenciaría Federal de Sona.
Alex half dragged, half led Michael back into the building. A small crowd had gathered in the entrance, but the made room for Alex to pass. He could feel the heated gazes on his back, sizing him up. Taking his measure.
For now, though, there was no one who wanted to test him. One--maybe two, he wasn't sure--kills in one night was enough. At least for now.
He shoved Michael into the corner. "Sit."
Michael hit the wall. Turned and slid to the floor slowly. His back slid wetly down the wall, leaving blood. Legs splayed out on the damp concrete ground. His head lolled as he looked up at Alex through swollen eyes, blood flowing thickly from his nose, his mouth.
Tony was lying against the wall. He propped his head on his fist, looking at Alex and Michael curiously.
"Water?" Alex asked.
"¿Cuál está en él para mí?"
"What?"
"He wants to know what's in it for him," Michael said, voice flat and colorless.
"I don't kick your ass."
Tony shrugged. Lay back.
"Fine. You can stay here for the night. On the blanket. And if anyone hassles you, I'll drive them off."
"Okay." Tony climbed to his feet and walked off.
With a groan, Alex crouched in front of Michael. Pulled his eyelids up, ignoring the hiss of pain, to check his pupils. They were the same size, clear, focused on his face, if wet and watery.
He let Michael's eyelids fall. Gingerly touched his nose, feeling the bones.
Michael bit his lip. Grimaced, eyes shut. Jerked away when Alex hit a sensitive spot.
Alex probed it a couple more times. "I don't think it's broken. Just bruised." He touched it again.
"Stop it."
"What, you don't like that? Does it hurt?" Alex pressed his finger against the sore spot again.
Michael smacked his hand away.
"What, so now you fight?" He shoved Michael against the wall. "Now you start hitting back?" Shoved again, so hard Michael's head snapped against the wall.
Pain flashed across his face. He grabbed Alex's hands. Twisted them away, fighting Alex as he pushed back. "You are the one who wants to kill me, aren't you? Shouldn't I defend myself from you?"
He worked one hand free. Grabbed Michael by the neck and forced him down. Onto his back, Alex on top, his knee between Michael's legs, pressing against his crotch, threatening. "Just because I'm a threat, doesn't mean I'm the only threat, Michael. They would have killed you out there, is that what you wanted?"
"I didn't ask you to save me." He forced Alex's arm behind his back. Pushed it up, sending a wrenching pain through Alex's back. "You would have been rid of me. Considering how much you've been whining about me ruining your life, I'd've thought you'd be dying for that to happen."
"If anyone's going to kill you, it's going to be me." He squeezed his hand.
Michael's face twisted. He gasped. Coughed, blood splashing on his lips. Chin. "Then do it," he rasped. "Stop fucking with me and do it already."
"I should. All my worries would be over." He tightened his hand.
Michael laughed soundlessly. His chest heaved. Both hands were hanging on to Alex's arm, tugging futility, trying to free himself enough to breath. "All your worries," he whispered. "Stuck... in a p-prison that law forgot. In Panama." He coughed, face bright red as he struggled to get air. "No one knows your here. You're a dead man. Buried alive."
"I'm not staying."
The words shocked him. Shocked him so much, he released Michael's throat. Cold, damp concrete bit into his hands as he held himself over Michael, looking down at him.
I'm not staying.
He was planning on living. On surviving this. On getting out.
He *wanted* to live.
"Shit," he said. He wanted to live. And the only man who could possibly get him out was perfectly willing to let vultures pick him over and leave him for dead.
"What?"
He wanted to live. It wasn't even about Pam or Cameron anymore. He wanted to live because he wasn't ready to give up on life. The past year and some had been hell. Made him forget why he loved.... anything, really. But now...
He wanted his wife and son. But, if he couldn't have them, he just wanted *something*. Another chance.
And this man was the only person here who could help him get that chance. Together, they could get out. It wasn't impossible.
Michael just had to want it.
Alex had to give him a reason.
He climbed off of Michael. Sat next to him, at his head.
Tony was standing uncertainly a few feet away. He had two bottles of water in his hands.
Alex reached out for them. Took them and looked at the contents disdainfully. The bottles were sealed, but he still didn't trust the water. No doubt he and Michael would spend some time being ill over the next few days, adjusting.
"Here." He handed a bottle to Michael, who hadn't moved.
Michael took it silently. Opened the water and sat up, taking a few sips before laying back down.
He checked his watch. "You sleep first," he said. "We'll sleep in shifts. Three hours each."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know about you, but I don't quite trust those around us. I'd sleep better with someone watching my back. So. I watch yours, you watch mine." He glanced at Tony, who was making himself comfortable next to Michael. "You need more sleep than I do."
He raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure that? Because you haven't been strangled in the last few minutes?" He sat up. Stretched. Then shifted so he laying stretched on the blanket, Tony behind him, against the wall. He lay his head back down, almost pressed against Alex's leg.
"Something like that." He watched as Michael closed his eyes, long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. Cheeks molted purple with bruises, splashed dark burgundy with blood. Blood on his lips, bitten and swollen, painful to look at. Long, skinny marks darkening on his neck, around his throat.
He didn't feel guilty. He didn't feel anything. Just a burning in the pit of his stomach. Resolve. Need. Alex needed to get out of here. This was not how he was going to die. Not the end of him.
Need. For the man at his side. The one man who might be able to get them both out.
His enemy. A man he hated. Had grown to hate, reluctantly. Hated because Alex wasn't a good enough man. Wasn't...
He had to put it aside. Not just because he had to work with Michael, but because he had to convince Michael to do this. Remind him of what he'd fought for. What had brought him here and what still waited for him outside. Because, right now, it was all too obvious that Michael was willing to disappear and be buried alive here.
That wasn't going to happen. And Alex had to find some way to convince Michael life was worth fighting for. Even still.
Michael shivered. Coughed. His eyes opened.
"Sleep," Alex said.
"Can't." He rolled onto his stomach. Crossed his arms under his head. "This is hell. And you want me to sleep?"
"It is hell. And you still need to sleep." He placed his hand on Michael's back. Rubbed tight muscles. "First order of survival. Shelter. Food. Water. Sleep. Take it. Sleep."
"What's the point?"
Gently, he squeezed Michael's neck. "I'll tell you when you wake up."
Michael laughed, but didn't say anything further. He lay, docile, as Alex rubbed his upper back, stomach twisting, frustration tightening his jaw as he did. He wanted nothing more than to snap the smug bastard's neck. To break each of his fingers, making him suffer the way Alex had suffered.
But he couldn't. He needed Michael. And he would play nice until they were out of this shithole. And then...
Then he'd see.
Part 3
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 02:14 pm (UTC)YES,
Characterisation is... completely spot on. Brilliant, Sera. The anger, the power, the indifference, smugness. Intelligence. Whoar. PULSING. Spine tingling.
I have had long discussions about your fics with one/two of my friends on numerous occasions, and I've got to say that this, so far, is the best out of Cellie, Inevitable and What Might Have Been.
Such power in words. *shakes self* I'm going to have to read this once more.
Just... I know you commented in the Authors Notes of Cellie a while ago that you were doubting your abilities as a writer? Don't. Just. Don't. You've got nothing to worry about if this is what you come up with!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 07:40 pm (UTC)Thank you. I hope it continues to be. I think this is the most canon characterization for where we are on the show. In all the other ones, Alex has progressed or differed in his character development, giving us a slightly different man than on PB. This is interesting to write, because I'm still heading for a michael/mahone romantic pairing; it's just a matter of wondering if I'll be able to pull it off.
Thank you! :P
no subject
Date: 2007-04-12 12:56 am (UTC)Besides, everything that's in your other fics is here, too, but at a different point in their development - their mutual fascination, their individual stubbornness, their seductive hotness...
no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 02:50 pm (UTC)And you should know that after reading first chapter of Sona and the newest chapter of Cellie I had a dream about Michael and Mahone being together, then Alex was taken hostage in place that looked like Sona! And, what's the best, in my dream I was Michael. ;)
What a fantastic chapter! I love love love the fact that Alex is the one who wants to keep living, who wants to survive, because he doesn't want to end in a place like this.
So many great lines here!
"I didn't ask you to save me." He forced Alex's arm behind his back. Pushed it up, sending a wrenching pain through Alex's back.
Wow. Isn't that something Linc has told Michael before?;)
"If anyone's going to kill you, it's going to be me." He squeezed his hand.
FANTASTIC!
He wanted to live. It wasn't even about Pam or Cameron anymore. He wanted to live because he wasn't ready to give up on life. The past year and some had been hell.
I love this one!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 07:41 pm (UTC)Jealous! I never have those kind of dreams. :(
So glad you like it. Thank you\!!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 02:58 pm (UTC)Just. Wow.
You rock.
*squishes*
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 07:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:46 pm (UTC)Because it keeps open the possibility of slashy goodness? :)
Kidding. I really wanted Alex to want to escape because he just *needed* to, not for anyone else. For freedom to be worth it, even if he dies the second he steps on the other side of that wall (which he won't). So, yeah. I'm with you there.
Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 04:08 pm (UTC)I am so completely in love with this story. Wow. So insanely good and brilliant and just so real!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 04:20 pm (UTC)I won't point out which parts I like the most, just that I *love* the bits of Spanish!! It's my third language (I've got still lots to learn lol) and I really love it=) it's really cool to see at least some Spanish in fan fics.
thanx!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:48 pm (UTC)I hope so. :)
I won't point out which parts I like the most, just that I *love* the bits of Spanish!! It's my third language (I've got still lots to learn lol) and I really love it=) it's really cool to see at least some Spanish in fan fics.
I took three years of spanish, but don't speak mor than a few phrases. I've been running things through babel fish. If you see any errors, please point them out so I can fix them.
Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 06:44 pm (UTC)And can I just say how continually blown away I am by how prolific you are; new "Cellie" and "Sona" in the same day, and only just following other new chapters. I have no idea how you do it!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 06:47 pm (UTC)Oooh, I'm so excited to see how this progresses. :D
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 09:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 06:02 am (UTC)and i love this!!^^
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-12 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 09:45 am (UTC)Another fabulous fic that I will be following all the way!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-11 11:51 pm (UTC)I should shop this out to them, make them hire me to write it. :)
Don't worry. I'm firmly a happily ever after gal. :)
Thank you!!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-14 05:59 pm (UTC)You really should!! Imagine the cheers from the slash half of the fandom!! We'd need ear plugs!! ;)
Happily ever after gal?!!! Great news! But feel free to pile on the angst in the meantime!! Cuz angst with happily ever after is the best!!
You're welcome!
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2007-04-24 01:18 am (UTC)