Fiona was angry when the police let her and Sam go. They'd let her and Sam leave without further questioning, but not Michael. They'd all told the police everything they knew (especially Michael with the addresses he'd got from the narcissistic bomber) and they had questioned everyone for hours. Jesse had been able to sneak away before the police baled the trio up dragging them off in separate cars to the station. That angered Fiona even more.

Fiona went to wait outside the room that she knew Michael was in when the officer came out and told her he was being kept over night for truth of the matter was that having given everything he needed to, to the police Michael had promptly shut up, not necessarily unwilling but more unable to talk much longer without pain shooting through his skull. He'd left the door slightly ajar when he came out, giving Fiona a chance to peek inside.

Michael was pale in comparison to earlier in the day, and it was obvious he was in extreme pain as the muscle in his jaw was taught as he bit down on his teeth. Stubborn prick, she thought, he hasn't told them.

Fiona turned back to the officer. "Excuse me, how much longer are you holding him for? can't you see he is not okay?"

"He's not answering anymore of our questions."

"What on earth could you possibly want to know? We've all told you everything! Especially Michael!"

"Ma'am, the questions we need to know are none of your business?"

"Are they even relating to the fact that some psycho bomber just blew my house up!" it was more a statement than a question.

"Ma'am -"

"Is everything OK here, officer?" Sam, hearing Fiona get louder alerted him to the commotion.

"They're not letting Michael go, Sam" Fiona snapped.

Sam frowned. "On what grounds are you holding Mike?"

The man shifted uncomfortably. this guy was taller than both Fi and Sam, and rather thin. He was most likely a desk jockey getting to interrogate a rather colourful person. Well something like that Sam was not going to stand for. He pulled Fiona away before she could say another word and land all of them with overnight visits.

"Fi, we gotta think about this."

"Sam! We can't leave Michael here! You didn't see him! he's in no physical shape to stay here!" she protested. Sam frowned and looked back at the room where Mike was. The officer (or whatever he was) had left, the door shut behind him. he looked at the locks on the door and determined that breaking them was not a viable option.

"Well, Fiona, it's what" Sam looked at his watch. they'd been brought in about 6pm and it was now close to midnight. "Shit, Fi, who can we call in the middle of the night? it's not like we have a lawyer in our good books."

Fiona was about to argue then paused mid word. "We do know a lawyer." she pulled out her phone. "I think I still have Winston's Number. Call him. see what he can do."

"Will do, and I'll stop by Maddie's too. Grab her car. Might be a good idea to have a four door, with Mr-I'm-Not-In-Pain in there." Fiona nodded and turned to sit on the chair in front of the room Michael was interrogated in. She'd barely had a chance to get comfortable when the smarmy man stuck his head out again.

"Miss, can you please come in here? Mr Westen is asking for you."

Surprise struck the woman but she went in anyway. She felt Michael needed her. And boy was that an understatement.

In the few moments since that Fiona had seen Michael he'd become white as a sheet and was now resting his forehead on his arm, his hand now a clenched fist. It was very much the position he'd had earlier in the day in front of his mother, but it appeared somehow more pained.

"Michael!" Fi whined, "Adrenalin can only take you so far!" she rummaged through her bag. "And to think i didn't bring your painkillers with me. Your mother is going to kill me!" She sat next to him and started rubbing soothing circles on his back. Every muscle that could be was tense and it worried Fiona the extent of pain he was in. His hand unclenched and found its way to Fiona's free hand, holding it and almost cutting off the circulation as he clenched it hard. Fiona's motion stopped briefly as she winced, but she continued, god knows how hard she had clenched Michael's thigh when he was sewing up her arm. She mused quietly how, if it was cold enough, that her fingernail marks would appear on his leg, evidence as another scar she'd given him. Not that he'd ever complained about it.

A bit of time passed as Fiona tried to help Michael stay awake. The detective just sat across from them and watched as if trying to find a conversation starter. one eventually came to him.

"So, Mr Westen, what can you tell me about the random explosions appearing over Miami?"

Fiona coughed in surprise. "Excuse me? I thought Paxson sorted that out?"

The man shrugged. "Only the one's prior to Rick Matheson's arrest. I believe there were a whole heap more after his conviction."

Fiona opened her mouth to answer as the door slammed open, there stood Paxson, Winston and Sam.

"Detective Windlyer I believe I told you, you did not need to question Michael Westen any further?"

"But Lieutenant-" Fiona quirked her brow at that "-some one has to face the music for them..."

"And that someone is not Westen!" She snapped back. She motioned to Winston and Sam. "Mr Hall and Mr Axe here, informed me, you are illegally detaining Mr Westen, especially considering his physical state, evidence or not."

"B-But -"

"No Buts, Detective, I'm ordering you to let this man go,"

"Yes Ma'am" Windlyer stormed past the trio in the door way in a huff.

"Lieutenant?" Fiona asked, not looking up from Michael. "Matheson did something for your career didn't he?"

Paxson smiled. "Just a little." She nodded in Michael's direction "He's good to go."

Sam smiled. "Thanks heaps. You too Winston."

"Oh no trouble at all, really. I am a pro bono lawyer anyway." Paxson and Winston left to discuss another case, leaving Sam alone with Michael and Fiona.

"Did you bring his medication?" She asked. she didn't really want to move him unless he was suitably drugged.

Sam smacked his forehead. "No, dammit!"

Fiona sighed and stood up, wrenching her hand back. "Well we're just gonna have to do it the hard way." The long day's excitement (if that's what you can call it) wore off and Fiona was just as exhausted as Michael, she'd forgotten about her house, mainly concerned about Michael, until she thought about bed.

Sam saw Fiona was tired and offered to take Michael. she nodded in response, before bending to whisper in Michael's ear. His good hand twitched in response. She nodded to Sam who came over and grabbed under Michael's good arm. Fiona braced Michael's back and arm, as much as she could while still being gentle.

"OK. On three." Sam ordered. "One, two -" before he could tense up, Michael was hauled to his feet by Sam and supported by Fiona. Sam eased his friend's arm over his shoulder, while Fiona grabbed his waist on Sam's side and tried to hold his injured arm in place. It would be fair to say that moving to the car was a difficult task, but that didn't really surmount to the extent of difficulty it really was.

Once he was settled in the backseat, Fiona got a good look as his face and saw tear tracks and a mark on his lips from where he'd been biting it. She frowned but climbed into the back alongside him to offer support more than anything else. Considering the state of her day, being able to hold Michael was enough support for now.

Sam jumped in front and without a word, sped off back towards Madeline's.

~!~

They were half way home, along the last major freeway, when Michael squeezed Fiona's hand hard. It jerked her out of the light doze she was in to notice that Michael was awake and not looking good.

"Sam we need to pull over."

Sam jumped, surprised to hear noise from the back seat.

"Sam we need to pull over NOW."

"Fi-"

"He's gonna be sick, Sam. Just do it!" Sam swerved across three lanes of traffic to the road side where Michael stumbled out of the car and fell to his knees, heaving. Sam swore quietly to himself (One: Michael was sick and it was coz he'd forgotten the meds, and; Two: the turn off to Maddie's was just up ahead) and jumped out of the car, rushing to his friend's side. Fiona was already beside him, supporting him and rubbing circles on his back as he heaved. Sam cursed Madeline for not having water or a first aid kit in her car, but popped the boot anyway to find a rag for Michael to clean up with.

Finding the cleanest one, he handed it to fi. Now he felt bad for thinking that Michael was sleeping, not focusing on holding some serious pain at bay and trying not to be car sick at the same time. Fiona was the same thing because when Michael finally stopped she didn't hand him the cloth but cleaned up for him.

She just hoped the smell of stale cigarette would overpower the smell of sick on his breath.

~!~

Fiona lay beside Michael much later on, happy they'd gotten home without further incident and fed the spy his medication, yet annoyed she'd let herself be bullied into staying here by an ex-SEAL and old woman, glad the day was over, but also frustrated that all her belongings were gone and wondering how much was covered by her insurance.

Thoughts of what she'd lost piled up on her already busy mind and the day started to overwhelm her. A tear trickled down her cheek, but she didn't try to move away. Michael was well and truly out of it so he wouldn't hear. It was as if she'd unlocked a Pandora's box and everything flowed out, worry for Michael, anger at Barfield, frustrated at the world and sad for what she had lost. Fiona grabbed her pillow from behind her head and sobbed into it as quietly as she could.

She didn't feel Michael's hand grab hers, but she did feel it squeeze in comfort. She pulled the pillow away to see he was leaning on his good side, facing her.

"You 'k?" He slurred, half with sleep, half with drugs. Fiona didn't wanna answer because she thought it would get worse so she just shook her head. "You're not okay." He sighed and he lightly kissed her on the forehead. "'M sorry Fi. 'M sorry fer scarin you, an' for wha you lost. 'M sorry fer the shiddy sstituashun. But it'll be ok. Promise."

Fiona, tears considerably lessened, smile up at Michael. "Thank you" she whispered. She leaned up and pecked him on the lips. The spy smiled and lay back down, snaking his good arm behind Fiona's head. She rolled into his warm body and fell asleep listening to his heartbeat.

Eventually their hearts beat as one.

END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it got mushy towards the end, Boy did that surprise me! but i like my occasional fluff piece here and there and if it involved injured Michael I am even more happy. Once again, all mistakes are mine and solely mine. please R&R and enjoy some real R&R yourself over these fine holidays!