bookworm0503

24 Fic: Dinner Date, Tony/Michelle

2009-06-20T03:30:45Z

Title: Dinner Date

Fandom: 24

Characters: Tony Almeida/Michelle Dessler

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Michelle’s had a long day at work and Tony decides to make it up to her.

Author's Notes: Sooooo…this is a very delayed birthday!fic for my dear sweet astrum_presul who gave me this prompt to work this. I love her looooooottttttttsssssss and thus, labored over this damn thing for forever. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Michelle Dessler was weary with exhaustion as she stepped inside the house she now shared with her fiancé. It had been a big deal, the move; explaining to Ryan Chappelle and Brad Hammond that they were engaged had been a real treat on it’s own, but explaining that they resided together every night anyway and wanted to make that official had been even more interesting. Chappelle hadn’t liked the idea of the two of them sharing an address and Hammond…Hammond just didn’t want to have to deal with any of it.

Not that any of it really mattered. All Michelle cared about was knowing who was going to be on the other side of that door when she came home at night after a hellacious day. Whether the powers that be thought it was a good idea or not she got to go home to Tony Almeida every night. She definitely wasn’t complaining.

As soon as she pushed open the front door Michelle knew right away he’d been busy. Delicious aromas flooded her nostrils, mingling with the scent of her vanilla candles. The lights coming from the kitchen were dim, and she felt her lips spread into a grin and the tension start to abscond from her muscles. Not bothering to kick off her heels, she strolled into the kitchen, popping out one hip and folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the doorframe.

The sound of things sizzling in the pan and the timer on the oven beeping meant he hadn’t heard her slip inside. Michelle’s smiled widened as she observed her fiance’s back and watched him move swiftly between the stove and the counter. Their small table was already set, tablecloth and candle sticks with her good china and wine glasses. Some fresh flowers sat in her favorite crystal vase in the middle.

She waited until he finally turned around and saw her to speak. His hair was mussed and his cheeks red from the heat of the room. His eyes widened a little when he first saw her and he licked the sweat from his upper lip, placing down the tray from the oven and rubbing his cheek.

“You’re earlier than I thought you would be,” he commented in surprise. Michelle laughed sweetly and took a step towards him.

“Night shift took over and traffic wasn’t too bad,” she reached out her arm, beckoning him towards her.

“What’s all this?”

“Just dinner,” he grinned as she patted his chest. “You hungry?”

“Starved. But it seems like you went to a lot of trouble for just dinner…”

His grin widened as his dropped his lips the short distance to hers.

“Hmmm…” he murmured when the kiss broke. “I keep saying I’m gonna take you out for a nice dinner and we never get around to it. So uh…” he brushed some hair off her cheek and kissed the happy smile on her lips.

“I brought a nice dinner to you. I know it wasn’t the plan, but…”

Her smile widened and she slid her arms around his neck, keeping him close.

“I like this better anyway…just you and me.”

Tony’s grin spread and he nuzzled her neck.

“You took the words right outta my mouth.”

After a minute he broke the embrace, keeping his hand in the small of her back.

“Wine?”

“In a minute. Let me just get out of these clothes.”

He threw a glance over his shoulder and smirked a little.

“Feel free to forget to put anything else back on,” he murmured suggestively. She rolled her eyes a little, collecting her purse and disappearing up the stairs.

……………………………

It wasn’t nothing, but it was close to it, she decided when she stepped out of her room again donning the grayish-purple, chiffon nighty that she’d picked up for his birthday that year. The way it cut her off far shorter than any skirt she’d ever wear, coupled with thin spaghetti straps and slight, er, push-up effect never failed to make his breath catch. She’d splashed some cold water on her face and retied her hair into a messy knot at the back of her neck, spritizing on a little of his favorite perfume to go with his favorite lingerie. He’d spent his day off cooking her a romantic dinner and, (she noticed as soon as she stepped inside their bedroom), doing the laundry and vacuuming the house. She figured he deserved a little of what he asked for even if she couldn’t sit through an entire meal stark naked.

She felt her cheeks flush with pride when she reappeared in the kitchen and his jaw dropped slightly, eyes clouding over with arousal. A smile touched her lips and she closed the distance between them and snaked her arms around his neck, pushing him back against the kitchen counter and dragging him down into an easy kiss. He groaned a little when her tongue touched his bottom lip, seeking entrance into his mouth as her fingers tangled in his hair. His tongue circled hers, pulling her closer and tightening an arm around her waist as his other hand slid down her creamy thigh and up the back of her nighty to her matching lace panties, squeezing her butt. A soft moan escaped her lips as he pressed against her through his jeans and one hand left his hair to grip his back.

When the kiss finally broke they were both breathing heavily. Her stomach clenched at the intensity with which he looked at her. Tracing the outline of his jaw lightly with a finger she bumped another kiss against his lips.

“I’m kinda hungry. I was hoping we could get through dinner first before we moved onto the naked thing.”

He nodded dumbly, pressing his face into her neck. His hands gripped her hips as he nuzzled her, sliding up to cup her breasts. She squeaked and he groaned.

“Damn, Michelle. You really don’t want to make it through dinner, do you?” he gasped breathlessly. She giggled lightly as he brushed his nose along the sheer fabric. Finally, she pushed on his chest gently, easing him away from her and indicating towards the stove.

“If that was the case I would’ve done the naked thing to begin with, honey,” she remarked wryly, delighting in his soft chuckle.

“Alright mister, time to feed me.”

The pasta dish he made was her absolute favorite. It was time consuming and he didn’t make it much given their work schedules but when he did…she thanked him in more ways than one. As she consumed bite after delicious bite she noted that tonight he was looking at her a little strangely, almost reverently, and she swore to herself if he hadn’t already popped the question he’d be getting down on one knee sometime between when the first glass of wine was poured and the time dessert was served. Not that he really needed to use a proposal as reason to get on his knees for her; she was open-minded like that.

Still, his eyes kept lifting to stare at her the entire meal, dark and serious. The soft candlelight highlighted the contours of his face and she found her heart beating a little faster every time he met her gaze. As she slurped down the last few noodles on her plate Tony reached for her fingers, kissing them softly and brushing the soft skin of her hand against his stubbly cheek. She shivered a little and he muttered an apology.

“You got home earlier than you said you would. I didn’t get time to change or shave or anything,” he explained, indicating to his sweaty white t-shirt and faded jeans. His five-o-clock shadow combined with the t-shirt and the candlelight and his tanned skin just made him look edible. He never needed apologize to her for how he looked, that was for certain.

She rolled her eyes a little. “I’m no better, honey. I only got out early because Ryan took pity on me I think. Had I known this was what you had planned I might’ve - ”

“You look beautiful, Michelle,” he kissed her fingers again. With an easy smile she abandoned her empty plate. He shifted in his chair just as she dropped into his lap, swinging her legs over his thighs and curling her arms around his neck.

She kissed him slowly, feeling him hum contentedly in response. Michelle beamed, brushing slightly damp hair out of his eyes.

“Hey sweetheart,” he breathed dumbly when the kiss broke. She giggled, running his thumb along rim of his ear and licking her lips a little. He sighed happily, caressing her bare legs and touching his mouth to her temple.

“I missed you today.”

“I missed you too,” she cuddled closer, dropping a kiss to his neck and feeling his breath catch. She grinned to herself.

“You ready for dessert?” he asked after a moment of quietly breathing each other in. Michelle shook her slowly, pulling back to lock eyes with him.

“Dessert can wait,” she declared as she slid out of his lap and held out a hand, a teasing smile on her lips. “Now I just want you to take me to bed.”

………….

Michelle giggled delightedly, ducking out of his reach and darting towards the hallway as he stalked after her. He watched her walk away, making small, almost guttural growls as she threw a little swagger in her step and moved slowly up the stairs. He caught up with her mid-climb, spinning her around and yanking her against him. She squealed as his mouth landed on hers, tongue probing between her lips and eagerly sliding against hers as he slid his arms around her and carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom.

She murmured contentedly when he eased her to the floor, curling her arms around his hips and pulling him closer as his lips worked over hers and he explored her mouth thoroughly. His hands brushed across her legs as the kiss broke, his nose bumping hers as he nibbled at her neck.

“Goddamnit, Michelle, you’re so fucking gorgeous,” he breathed, hands roving over her body almost reverently. One hand moved between her legs and he gently caressed her, chuckling when she tensed and her nails dug into his back a little. She whimpered as his thumbs dipped beneath the waist of her lace panties, wasting no time sliding them off her hips. His fingers returning to touch bare skin now as he nibbled on the soft skin of her neck. Michelle’s eyes rolled back a little as his ministrations between her legs continued, clutching at his t-shirt to steady herself.

“So I did good, huh honey?” he teased, fingering the strap of her nighty, but making no move to remove it from her. She laughed softly until he slid a finger between her slippery folds and grunted in approval. She was so wet already his own breathing picked up, stealing another kiss and grinning his unbearably sexy Tony-Almeida-grin as she panted into his mouth. Her legs wobbled as he nuzzled her neck and increased his speed a little. Her hips moved in time with each gentle thrust as he added another finger, all the while kissing and licking his way down to her lace-covered breasts. Eyes locked on hers, his thumb flicked her clit a few times, causing fresh moans to escape her lips.

“Tony…” she gasped, throbbing and burning and desperate for release. She was so close – so very, very close, - all it would take was a little extra flick and she’d be there. Just a little more…

“Tony, Tony please…”

He ignored her, the speed of his hand slowing it’s pace with obviously no intention of continuing as he withdrew from her body. He smoothed kisses across her upper breast, listening to her growl and her heart pound before he returned back to her lips. She watched him touch his drenched fingers to his lips, her own breath speeding up a little.

“You taste good, baby,” he told her with a soft kiss. She whined as he started to pull even further away, breathing still ragged and muscles still twitching. As he moved his lips back down her body she tugged on his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it to the side. His back muscles flexed as he crouched down and kissed her belly through the chiffon, still making no move to remove her nighty as he dropped to his knees.

“Tony…” she ached for where she knew he was going with this. The area between her legs was soaking wet and throbbed uncontrollably now and she yelped when he slid her nighty up past her hips. His eyes met hers and he smirked a little before he squeezed her ass and tugged her center towards his lips.

“Oh god, Tony,” she squeaked as his tongue flicked against her, wasting no time working her back up to the state she’d been in moments before. His hands eased her into a rocking motion and hers dropped, one buried tightly in his hair and the other caressing his jaw as he lapped at her more insistently, tongue dipping past her entrance. She moaned his name again and he pulled away to kiss her dark curls.

“You taste so good, baby,” he insisted, words brushing against her heated flesh. “I missed the hell outta you today. I couldn’t wait for you to get home,” he breathed, sounding almost a little pained. “We’re not leaving the bed tomorrow,” he growled in promise before sealing his mouth around her again. He tightened his grip on her, holding her upright and using one hand to spread her legs a little wider, dipping into her again and causing her to groan his name loudly and tug on his hair. She loved having a house with him for so many reasons, but one of them definitely had to be the lack of neighbors. Sometimes he worked her up so badly she couldn’t contain her moans and groans and whimpers and there had to be at least a few occasions of somebody else hearing something they weren’t supposed to hear.

His name came out in short pants and she bucked her hips against him, grinding against his face and moaning again.

“Tony…Tony…puh-please – oh!”

The orgasm rolled through her and her back arched as she pressed tightly against his face, feeling him groan too in response. He loved hearing her when she came. He continued to lick her softly, riding out her release with her until she stilled. He stood slowly, hands sliding beneath the soft fabric of her night and finally lifting it over her head. His mouth touched hers and she mewled, tasting herself on his tongue as he deepened the kiss, breasts sealed tightly against his bristly chest. The kiss was a drastic contrast to the way he grinded against her, and he shuddered when her hands dropped to his belt and started unbuttoning his jeans.

Minutes later both sets of clothes – or his clothes and her lingerie – were on puddles in the floor and he was following her again, fingers locked in hers as she guided him to the bed. She crawled on first, shrieking delightedly when he tackled her beneath him and stole kisses from her lips. His cheeks were still flushed and she smoothed back some of her sweaty hair, pressing her mouth to his neck and rolling him onto his back.

He tugged her down on top of him, eyes wide as her slickness pressed against his stomach. Grinning, she pulled her hair out of its elastic, shaking her head and letting her curls spill everywhere. She badly needed a shower, but Tony’s murmur of approval told her he didn’t mind too much. She leaned forward, peaked nipples brushing against him and she pressed her lips to his. Her tongue flicked gently and his fingers dug a little more firmly into her back as she wormed her way down his chest.

Hands leading the way, she pressed and licked and caressed and nibbled at his tanned flesh, loving the way his fingers buried into her hair and tightened the lower she went. Glancing hip to offer him the sexiest grin she could muster, her palm smoothed down his length and he gasped at her barely-there caresses.

“Tony…” she murmured, waiting for him to find her eyes as she stroked him a little more firmly. He was already hard and that gave her a little thrill. She loved how easily she turned him on. Her head lowered and she ran her tongue over his length. He groaned and tightened the hand in her hair as she licked him a little harder. A few seconds later her lips sealed around his tip and she suckled gently, feeling his limbs shake a little against her.

Lifting her eyes to meet his, she parted her lips, taking as much of him in her mouth as she could. He bucked hard, murmuring a soft apology amidst her giggles. She sucked a little harder as she slid up and down his length, one hand moving up to touch his thigh while the other caressed his balls. He moaned her name softly in warning and she grinned, pausing her motions but making no move to release him.

“M’chelle,” he urged, breaths raspy. She giggled again, getting another moan for her trouble.

“M’chelle, c’mere,” he ordered. She circled her tongue a little, feeling him jerk between her stilled lips.

“Please, baby,” he whined, cock pulsing between her lips. She flicked her tongue again, moving along his length a final time before finally parting her lips.

He wasted no time grasping for her hips and pulling her across his body. She was smiling widely and he positioned her over him and her hands came to rest on his shoulders, steadying herself.

“Ready?” he checked, teasing her wetness with the tip of his cock as she shifted her knees for a better position. She wiggled her hips a little against him, feeling him clench. Her own stomach tightened in response and a wave of arousal spread through her as his cock bumped her clit. She was done teasing him.

Curling a hand around his member she shifted a final time, easing him into position and sinking down upon him. The both groaned and she tightened around him, hands digging into his shoulders. He pulled himself upright, giving her better leverage and nuzzling her sweaty neck. Her smile softened when she watched his eyes cloud with arousal, gasping raggedly as she rocked her hips a little. Her palms pressed flat against his shoulders and she kissed his jaw as she started to move.

His hands cupped her butt, driving into her a little bit harder with each thrust and lapping gently at her dampened skin. She groaned, wrapping her arms around his back and pressing her breasts against him. His hand cupped her thigh, spreading her a little so he sank in deeper. They both moaned and whimpered, egging the other on and pleading for release. The tension was building within her quickly and she knew they were both so close already. He didn’t have far to go and she wanted to get there with him.

“How ya doin’?” he growled, flexing his hips and changing the angle for the better. She cried out softly, pushing down harder and shaking with each injection of his body. He was hitting her just right.

“I’m close,” she promised. “I’m so close, Tony I…ohh…” her limbs quivered and he rolled them quickly to the side, landing on his elbows and settling on top of her, pushing into her deeper still. One leg wrapped around his waist while the other she used for leverage against the mattress, meeting him thrust for thrust. Her vision started to go, the soft colors of the dim room blurring. Her hair slid across the mattress and her eyes closed and opened each time he slid home.

“Tony, Tony, please I’m so…I’m so close,” she gasped desperately, lifting her hips against his. He nodded eagerly, licking her throat and sinking his teeth into the crook of her neck.

“I know baby, I know. I can feel you.”

She cried out his name, burying her face into his neck. She physically ached for release.

“Fuck, Michelle!” he blurted out anxiously, pace increasing and hips slamming together frantically as he urged her to get there.

“Gotta come for me sweetheart,” he moaned desperately. “I need you to come for me…I…damnit!”

She yelped and nodded, head spinning now.

“So close Tony…I’m so…Tony!”

In what they both knew was the last second he had left she broke in his arms, clenching around him and throwing her head back against the pillows. He pushed inside her once, twice, three more times before finally finding his own release and filling her with his warmth.

His hips slowed against as their breathing leveled out and her hands dropped to his sweaty back. Finally, he stopped moving, settling his weight against her and kissing her neck softly.

“I love you,” he said quietly, seeking out her lips in a soft kiss. She smiled and returned the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He sighed contentedly, pressing closer to her instead of withdrawing from her body. She liked moments like this with him almost as much as she liked the rest of it. She liked keeping him close and inside her and savoring the feeling of it all.

“I love you too. Thank you for my dinner.”

He beamed proudly, inhaling deeply as their heart rates normalized. He rubbed her thigh and sighed happily.

“For you, sweetheart? Anytime.”

Random Questions.

2009-06-12T02:01:22Z

Because I told astrum_presul I would and thought maybe I'd get some chuckles when I come home from work tomorrow. :)

1. Your Middle Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song or Album:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
9. Do we know each other outside of LJ?
10. What's your philosophy on life?
11. Is the bottle half-full or half-empty?
12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
13. What is your favorite memory of us?
14. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
16. You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarky) - what are they?
17. Can we get together and make a cake?
18. Which country is your spiritual home?
19. What is your big weakness?
20. Do you think I'm a good person?
21. What was your best/favorite subject at school?
22. Describe your accent
23. If you could change anything about me, would you?
24. What do you wear to sleep?
25. Trousers or skirts?
26. Cigarettes or alcohol?
27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together? (If you have no idea, just say something crazy, it'll entertain me!)
28. Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?

Birthday Roundup: Love and Crackberries

2009-05-28T04:14:42Z

Alright, today was my birthday and it was wonderful. Not that I've ever really had a bad birthday (my family always has something awesome planned - case and point, surprising me with a Macbook for my 21st), but today was just absolutely awesome on every level.

For starters, toothfairy00  wrote me adorable birthday fic that gave me warm fuzzies and gave me a massive 7 page birthday card via e-mail with a tonnnnnn of epic pictures on it. She knows me so well. It's totally cute and funny and everyone should just read it. She'd been teasing me with it for forever and it was totally worth the wait. :D. So a biiiiiiiiig thank you to her for doing that, because it was so much appreciated it. It was a great way to start my birthday. Secondly, I ended up waking up way earlier than I planned on and squeezed in a workout before I had to get ready to go out. So yay! Endorphins! And when I got online after agent_almeida  had acknowledged me on her LJ and made a fuss and that was very sweet of her to do. :)

Then I went to see my grandparents with my mum and they bought us lunch and we just kinda hung out and chatted. It was a nice outing. I got to dress up a little and feel pretty instead of just sitting home alone. Quiet is nice, but so was the visit and I think they enjoyed the company for a change. It also meant I spent the entire car ride there and back with my mum and we haven't...had that in a while. Alone time, just me and my mum. That was really nice too.

And thennnnnnnn I came home and my lovely Little Spoon astrum_presul  had made me some awesome icons and banners and things like that as part of my present. She has more apparently, because she likes to spoil me. She was also the very first official person to wish me a happy birthday and kept me company for the first three hours of said birthday. And then when I went out again later she figured out how to fix my banner for me so that I could use it on LJ. She's just awesome...as always. :) The banner I currently have was alllllllll her as well as some of my new icons :).

ANNNNNNDDDDDDD I GOT A BLACKBERRY :D:D:D. My dad called me when I was out with my mum and said to meet him at the mall after he finished work so I could get a Blackberry! I'm addicted already, i swear. AND it enables me to chat to certain people I'm unable to text for various reasons (chatting's better anyway, duh). So I've been playing with that all night and moving everything over to it and like I said, I'm already addicted. It's my new baby.

And it's just really nice to hear from people I haven't heard from in a while. Between texts and facebook and e-mails and phone calls it was non-stop! All day I felt really loved :) None of it was any huge production or over the top, but that's more my speed anyway. I loved it.

Oh and lastly, i got to use the "lick here" icon today. It's my damn birthday and I'll lick if I want to.

So all and all it was an absolutely fantastic day. I can't believe another birthday is over, but I can't complain either. I'm just very happy and content with life right now.

Again, a super huge thank you to everryoonnneeeee. You made my day. Seriously.

Happy Things - Day 8

2009-04-20T04:16:31Z

Last day!

Okay so today my happy things were plentiful (and I didn't realize this until about 3 minutes ago)...

1) My roommate bought me frozen yogurt. She was going with friends and our other roommate but I had to stay in and study and she brought me back some. It was lovely of her.
2) I got a fic idea from listening to music I completely forgot I had downloaded, but had been really excited about downloading in the first place. It's just a scene for a work in progress that I haven't really touched much because of exams but still exciting. I'm hoping to get a lot more done after Wednesday :) And it was nice to just kind of lie on my bed and listen to music. It mellowed me out.
3) astrum_presul gave me epic fic. And I secretly suspect I made her burst out laughing at a completely inappropriate time yesterday (or very early this morning I guess) and she's just not telling me. And if I did that makes me happy too.

I just realized that makes it sound like I made her laugh out loud during sex. I assure you, this was not the case. I would never embarrass her like that.

So yes...lots of happy things today!

Happy Things - Day 7

2009-04-20T04:07:51Z

Soooooo this is actually meant to be my happy thing for Saturday the 18th.

Basically, I thought I wasn't going to have internet or a coffee maker when I came back from my day and a bit at home before my last round of exams. So I drove back Saturday afternoon and low and behold I had both! I had internet and a coffee maker so I could sit on the computer alllllll night long with certain people as I fake-studied *cough* astrum_presul *cough* and respond to all my correspondence and finally get back to writing back my e-mails and such with toothfairy00 so...y'know...my life basically revolves around the computer. Who studies anyway? Psh.

And then I woke up this morning after getting a solid amount of sleep again (finally), and got to have coffee and it was lovely. Coffee and internet and maybe my runners (and clothes I guess, haha) and life is good. And possibly no exam to study for.

Happy Things - Day 6

2009-04-18T05:20:29Z

Today I was back home for a day of R 'n' R before getting back into the exam thing. I have to drive back to school tomorrow and it's possible I may not have internet at my house anymore (and definitely won't have a coffee pot :s) so that's putting a damper on everything right now. I want my damn internet (and coffee). I'm an addict, what can I say?

Soooo happy things...um...well it was just a chill day overall. I would've had a sickkkkk time for my run today if my allergies hadn't kicked in after the first mile. That annoyed me, but there wasn't much I could do to fix that. Plus it was gorgeous outside (we almost hit 70F!) so it was at least night to have my first run in a while I didn't have to bundle up for.

Haha. OH! And my sister's friend (who's a friend of mine too) yelled out in front of everyone he was in love with me (not in the actual, literal, I want to jump your bones way of course) which was kind of nice to hear. And then her other friend piped in and asked if he could be in love with me too. They're funny guys, it's just nice having them around. I used to have so many more guy friends than I did girl friends and I miss that. It's just a different dynamic when you're with a group of guys.

And it was cute so I'll count that as my other happy thing.

Happy Things - Day 5

2009-04-17T06:03:40Z

Welllllllllll...Today I had two exams and that was just hellacious. However, they are now done so that makes me very happy. As of 4pm today I ignored how shitty I felt like I did on the physics one and instead focused on the fact that I can stop worrying about it all until marks come out. So I'm happy I can decompress for a day or two before I have to start studying again. I came home for a few days too so no cooking or shopping or living in a messy student house. My mum made me dinner tonight and everything. It was lovely. That also made me very happy.

And astrum_presul posted some girl!talk fic for me right before my physics exam this afternoon and that was exactly what I needed to clear my head a little bit right before I went to write. She's a sweetheart like that and it was awesome, as always.

So yeah, despite the stress and general sucking of the entire day, it turned out pretty good I must say. :)

Happy Things - Day 4

2009-04-16T03:59:42Z

Today...I really don't have anything spectacular as all I've done is sit in my room and study for my two exams tomorrow. I'm tired and I'm cranky and I don't want to make coffee...I just want to go to bed. I also feel like a hugeeeeee sloth because I haven't worked out today and all I've done for the last week is run like every other day (and even those have been half-assed for the most part because I think I'm kind of sick so my breathing has been all screwed up). I haven't been to the gym in forever. I hate feeling like this.

But...okay something good (and nerdy): I forgot I was getting a paper back today for my lone history course (that is in fact one of the exams I have tomorrow, thankfully) and I got an A+ on it. Would it be nice to get a mark like that on something that's actually my major? Yes. But I'll take anything I can get right now. An A+ is still an A+.

Oh and the TA gave me an A in participation so I've got a solid mark going into the exam. One A guaranteed if I don't screw it up. Cross your fingers, sheesh.

So yeah...that's me being a big nerd today. Haha.

Happy Things - Day 3

2009-04-14T23:18:24Z

Today was easy! I talked to my best friend for the first time in like...a week and a half (?) Which is a long time for us...or it used to be. I was just lamenting the other day that it was like she just up and forgot about me this year because she never talked to me anymore and I didn't even know what was going on with her and stuff.

But yes she talked to me and said she missed me and it made me very happy. I hate feeling so out of the loop. I've known her since I was fifteen and it's weird to not see her and talk to her everyday. I dunno...I guess I just really appreciated the effort because I hate the idea that because we're not at the same school and we're both busy with our own lives we'll just kind of drift apart.

So yes. Happy thing. :)

Happy Things - Day 2

2009-04-14T05:12:06Z

Hmmmmm...okay...

Well, astrum_presul posted me some awesome smut and that made me very happy. 24 being on made me very happy.

Oh and my sister sent me a cute lil' message today and late last night (so technically early this morning) and that made me very happy too.

Not a bad day actually. Huh. Go figure.

Busted!, 24, Tony/Michelle

2009-04-13T16:05:11Z

Title: Busted!

Fandom: 24

Characters: Tony Almeida/Michelle Dessler

Rating: NC-17 (Yes, I can hear certain people rejoicing already).

Summary: Tony hates shopping and Michelle…well, Michelle hates something else.

Author's Notes: So basically everyone has had a really long day/week/whatever (particularly my poor little toothfairy00 who's been doing an obscene amount of work these last few weeks). And thus we have smut! It’s cathartic. Whatever. The prompt is from astrum_presul (and I mean really, no surprises there:P) so a special thanks to her and agent_almeida for telling me I don’t suck completely and helping me get this thing out instead of stewing on it for weeks and finally just calling it quits. So yes, thank you. I hope it meets all of your expectations : )

“Michelllllleeeeeeee!”

Oh good, he was whining now. That should speed the process along. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been moping every second of the last hour they’d been at the mall. It wasn’t like she hated this as much as he did; that she wouldn’t have much rather have spent her Saturday seducing him shamelessly in the shower and then cuddling up on the couch to mock-argue over who had control of the remote…

No, no. Contending with a grumpy Tony for the rest of the day after she’d so callously insisted he absolutely had to get some clothes for a conference he was attending, that was exactly what she’d had in mind. The poor baby. She really was horrible to him.

“Everything okay in there?” the sales girl called perkily. Her sleek, dark ponytail had passed Michelle in a blur as she practically tripped over herself in an effort to get to Tony’s door first. Michelle’s eyebrows raised and resentment flared within her. She was pretty certain the early-20-something who’d introduced herself as Courtney didn’t go by Michelle…and even if she did this wasn’t the “Michelle” he’d been calling for. Not now, not in bed last night, not ever.

Feathers sufficiently ruffled, Michelle folded her arms across her chest and waited for Tony to poke his head out. He did, rubbing his cheek a little sheepishly when he met Michelle’s eyes.

“What’dya think?”

Michelle had just opened her mouth to answer when Sales Girl jumped in.

“The shirt’s too big on you,” she explained cheerfully, that full smile plastered on her face. Michelle’s eyes narrowed as she watched the girl’s do the same as they ran up and down Tony’s body. Now Michelle was just plain annoyed. It was her damn boyfriend standing there looking practically edible in his own jeans, a crisp maroon button down shirt and a black blazer. The girl stepped closer to Tony, sliding her hands beneath the jacket and turning him towards the mirror so he could see himself.

“See…” she pulled back some of the excess material of the shirt so it tightened around his stomach. Michelle forgot her indignation long enough to bite back a groan.

An “oh my god, do you workout like crazy or what?” exclaimed with a shrill laugh snapped Michelle out of her daze. Tony’s hands were lifted to give the girl better access and cinch the waist of the shirt. Michelle’s nostrils flared.

“See?” Ms. What’s-her-face demonstrated with a sickly sweet smile. “Too big…” still beaming she spun around to Michelle.

“We should really try taking it down a size,” the sickly sweet smile was replaced with a conniving glint. “We have lots of sizes in the men’s department.”

Wow. The men’s department? Thank god you’re here to tell me these things. I was looking for his clothes in the women’s department.

“Great,” Michelle managed to keep her voice level. “Thanks”

The girl look perplexed and her hands were still on Tony.

“Isn’t that your job?” Michelle raised an eyebrow, watching Tony cover his mouth with one hand in the mirror, biting back a laugh. What an ass.

The girl stared between them, as if waiting for Tony to send Michelle on her merry way so she could slam the door to the change room shut and assault him…

Hmmm. That didn’t sound like too bad of an idea.

When neither of them said anything the girl gave an exasperated sigh and flung herself out of the dressing room with a toss of her hair. She gave them both one final glance before sashaying back into the men’s department.

Michelle watched her delicious-looking, sensitive boyfriend try not to snicker as she sidled up behind him, still looking unimpressed.

“So what do you think?” he teased, inhaling sharply as her arms wrapped around his stomach and her cheek came to rest against his shoulder.

“I think she was hitting on you.”

“You always say that, sweetheart” he teased, leaning back to nuzzle her as best he could. Michelle rolled her eyes.

“I’m always right too.”

“You don’t think maybe I’m just a workout fiend? Lots of cardio? That kind of thing? I deserve praise here, Michelle.”

She snorted at the innuendo in his voice and pressed more tightly against his back.

“I think you like getting hit on.”

“Maybe I just like how you get when you’re jealous.”

Michelle shoved him slightly.

“How do I get, Tony?”

He grinned. “You just can’t keep your hands off me.”

Raking her eyes over his form in the mirror she felt her cheeks flush a little, throwing a glance behind her for good measure to make sure their little friend hadn’t returned yet. Without a sound her lips pressed against his neck and he leaned back into her, humming contentedly. Her hand smoothed across the front of his jeans and she felt him tense reflexively.

“Michelle…” it came out as a statement and she giggled softly, kissing his neck again.

“Hmm?” she teased.

“What are you doing?”

She giggled a little, her breath hot against his neck.

“I’m showing you how I get when I’m jealous.”

“Ohhhhh so that’s how you wanna play it?” he teased with a waggled eyebrow. She muted a grin against his neck and nodded slowly. With another wry glance over her shoulder Michelle undid the button of his jeans and maneuvered her hand down, caressing him gently through his boxers. The groan he’d been biting back was released when she flicked her tongue against his earlobe.

“Michelle…” he responded plaintively. She felt him squirming a little and reached back to kick the door shut behind her. It clicked in place and she returned again, her fingers finding their way into the growing gap of his boxers and touching bare skin. He groaned again softly, his head rolling forward against his chest.

He gasped when she gripped him more fully and a second hand shoved his jeans down his hips further to knead his balls gently.

“Fuck, Michelle…”

She readjusted her grip and stroked him a little harder. God, she couldn’t believe she was doing this. In a dressing room. She was seducing him in a dressing room. There had to be something wrong with her. He must be screwing with her head…there was no way in hell she would’ve tried this before.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, sweetheart…” Tony growled a warning in her general direction. She giggled again.

“Oh I can finish…I can always finish, it’s you I’m worried about – mmphh!”

With another growl Tony had shooed her hands away and spun around, backing her up against the far wall and sealing her mouth with his. His tongue pushed insistently on her lips and they opened to him easily. He groaned softly, his body hard against hers and his arousal pressing against her even through her jeans. She moaned and he kissed her harder, tugging on her lip with his teeth and licking gently. Her fingers clenched in his hair and she moaned again, shrugging off the blazer and tossing it in the corner.

“Tony…” she gasped breathily, as his hands dropped to her jeans and he fumbled to get them down to her ankles. She clung to him with one arm wrapped around his back as she maneuvered out of one leg of her pants and kicked them to the side. She panted heavily into his mouth as she shoved his boxers down out of the way and freed him to her greedy fingers. He shuddered a little as she stroked his length, pulling her in close and grinding against her.

“You sure you wanna do this?” he checked against her warm, wet lips. She nodded eagerly.

“Mhmmm…” she muffled her face against his neck. “God, yes…”

He chuckled cockily but she heard the catch in his voice and her hand slid between them again. He grunted softly and shoved her back against the wall, hiking one leg around his hip as he simultaneously moved her soaking wet panties to the side. He growled when he touched her slick folds and she used the leg around his hip to tug him closer.

“Fuck…Michelle…” he kissed his way across her jaw and nuzzled her ear. “You’re so wet…”

She bit down on a moan in response and begged softly for him to get on with it.

“You ready?” he asked, tilting his forehead against hers and teasing her a little more. She whimpered.

“Mhmmm…yes…” she pulled him in even tighter and the both groaned softly.

“You sure?” he gently caressed here and squealed.

“Yes Tony…”

He cocked a sexy grin and she felt her knees buckle a little.

“You really sure - ?”

“Tony!” She growled. He kissed her softly, still grinning. His hand slipped away from her center and hers pumped his cock once more before gripping his shoulders as he slid inside her.

They both grunted as their bodies joined and he wasted no time letting her adjust. Her other leg curled around his waist and she yelped at his first thrust, pressing her face against his neck to clamp down on a moan that had risen in the back of her throat. One of his hands dropped to her ass and he tilted her hips, bumping against her clit on each calculated upstroke. She moaned again for his trouble, forgetting where they were for a moment. He pounded into her with shameless abandon, sweat accumulating on his brow as well as hers and every slide of his body causing her as much torment as it did bliss. Her limbs started to quiver, her breathing already ragged and she whimpered and tightened her legs around him.

“God, Tony…” she gasped. “More…”

“You feel so fucking good, Michelle.” He growled low against her ear. She shivered and started to tighten around him.

She muttered breathily back. “Remember that next time slutty 20-somethings are flirting with you, ‘kay?”

“Yeah baby,” he panted his agreement and promised softly against her throat that no one had ever felt as good as she did. Her breath caught at his words and with each hard thrust she felt the pleasure starting to spread from low in her belly. She shuddered and he tilted her hips again, burrowing in tighter.

“You close?”

“Mhmmm” she assured him, her breathing too ragged for anything else. Their rhythm had grown sloppy and she knew he was fighting to keep it together.

“C’mon Michelle, gotta come for me…” he pleaded softly. She felt him growing closer as he moved and urged him into her harder and faster still. The pace changed and she yelped as she tried to keep up. Finally she bucked hard in his arms, smothering his lips with hers to mute her cries of release. Her body gripped him from all angles as he bit down on her neck and finally spilled into her.

He was still panting against her neck when she tugged lightly on his damp hair and found his lips with hers. Their tongues flicked against each other lightly and they both grinned a little.

“See?” she teased. “Shopping’s not so bad.” He chuckled and kissed her again as her legs dropped from around him. She sighed when he slipped from her body and his hands cupped her face.

“I’ll go shopping with you any day, sweetheart.”

A commotion outside startled them both back to reality. Michelle’s already flushed cheeks deepened in color as she fumbled to get her clothes back on. Over and done with the shock started to set in more. She really couldn’t believe she’d done that.

“We should get out of here,” she said hurriedly as she buttoned up her jeans. They were both sweaty and her hair was sticking to her forehead. She readjusted her ponytail as best she could and pulled him in for a final kiss.

“I’ll meet you out front in five, ‘kay?”

He nodded softly, nuzzling back.

“ ‘kay.”

Michelle ducked out of the dressing room with a quick glance around her. She exhaled softly when she made it out onto the main floor, unable to believe she’d just done that. Since when did she attempt to pull off something like that? Instead of analyzing it she figured it was easier to just blame Tony. If he hadn’t looked so damn good she wouldn’t have been tempted. She wouldn’t have practically assaulted him in the middle of a department store…

A smile touched her lips and she tucked a loose curl behind her ear. It had been fun, though. Not something to try every day but definitely –

“Excuse me, ma’am?”

Michelle turned around to come face to face with what was clearly a store security guard and an older gentleman in a suit. The color drained from her cheeks.

“Ye-yes?” she cleared her throat and tried hard not to panic. The man in the suit motioned her forwards.

“I think you’d better come with us.”

Pulse racing (and not in a good way anymore) Michelle tried to keep her face filled with neutral surprise as she followed the two men to the far end of the store, passing the scene of the crime on their way. She quickly scanned the area around the dressing room, hoping to catch Tony on his way out and inform him with her eyes that he was dead if he didn’t come save her from this. Instead all she saw was her new best friend Courtney watching them smugly from her position right, smack in front of the dressing rooms. Michelle took a few deep, cleansing breaths and fought the urge to wipe that far-too-pleased look of the other woman’s face. She didn’t want to add another type of assault to her list of transgressions after all.

Michelle couldn’t have been more mortified when the security guard held open the door of a small room for her. This is where they took fifteen-year-old shoplifters who stole a tube of lipstick and threatened to call their parents. Not grown women.

Tony was definitely dead.

The bastard was waiting there when she emerged from the store fifteen minutes later with a perplexed look on his face. He leaned back against the railing in his regular street clothes looking just as delicious as he had when he’d got them into that whole mess in the first place. He had his cell phone in hand, obviously having been calling her.

“What happened?” he stared at her in disbelief. “I called ya…what - ?”

With a low hiss she grabbed his arm, tugging him hurriedly towards the exit with an angry look on her face.

“What the hell happened?” he exclaimed again as they continued to walk. Her cheeks flamed bright red and she couldn’t meet his eyes. With a shaky voice she spoke:

“Security stopped me on the way out. Our little friend tattled on me. I was asked…never to return to the – stop laughing, Tony!” he might as well have been giggling the way he was going at it.

“It’s not funny!” she slapped him lightly on the arm. “I can’t believe we…”

He contained his laughter long enough to smooth back some hair and kiss her flushed cheek.

“Well, you did start it sweetheart,” he teased, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. “It’s not my fault you can’t resist me.”

She growled, pulling him in for a hard kiss.

“Next time you need clothes you’re going by yourself. I’m staying home in bed.”

He chuckled softly and pressed his lips to hers.

“Now where’s the fun in that?”

She sighed exasperatedly and shook her head. No fun at all, she guessed.

“What’s in the bag?” she asked as they strolled out of the mall together a few minutes later, her hand clasped warmly in his. He’d reached for her fingers once they were out of sight of the store and she’d surrendered without much persuasion. He was kind of cute, so she figured she’d keep him despite what he put her through.

“The shirt I was wearing when you uh…committed a felony because you – ow! Michelle.”

She rolled her eyes. She’d barely touched him.

“I figured anything that made you attack me like that was probably something I should have around the house. Y’know…for the next time you’re looking for an excuse…”

She smacked him again and he trailed off with a laugh as her fingers nestled in his hair and she kissed his mischievous grin.

“We both know it’ll look better on me tomorrow morning anyway, honey,” she declared. His arm snaked around her waist and his lips bumped hers again as he pulled her impossibly closer.

Yeah, she’d definitely keep him.

Happy Things - Day 1

2009-04-13T02:06:19Z

I was tagged by astrum_presul that big jerk (kidding, <3), so here we go:

1. Post about something that made you happy today.
2. Repeat for eight days.
3. Tag eight people to do the same.

Okay, happy things, happy things, happy things...um...

Well, I got to have a nice leisurely breakfast at the kitchen table (note: breakfast = coffee) at 11am without being interrupted by people a) asking if they could have some of my coffee; b) talking about roommate drama *before* I had my coffee or c) whining about life in general, again before I had my coffee. It was quite lovely.

So I shall tag (since I have very few friends :P):

agent_almeida and toothfairy00

Icons!

2009-03-25T00:04:54Z

astrum_presul is my hero. I love her and her nipular icon so much that I had to steal it.

agent_almeida is also my hero for taking advantage of a certain Playboy photoshoot. I've just had too much Carlos this week for ~~my own good~~ the good of my education. I can't focus. Hahaha.

</lj>

24 Fic: Survivors' Guilt - Tony/Michelle, Jack

2009-02-27T04:03:46Z

Title: Survivors’ Guilt

Fandom: 24

Characters: Tony Almeida/Michelle Dessler, Jack Bauer

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jack pays an old friend a visit one night. Post day 3.

Author's Notes: I’ve had this thing written forever and decided it might be nice to post it. More repayment for agent_almeida and astrum_presul in the form of fic! More angst as well. Enjoy!

The wind whipped briskly through the trees and a chill ran down his spine as he made his way up the path towards the front door of the house. The soft crunch of gravel underneath his feet made him feel like he was making too much noise. If the occupant of the house was given any warning towards his impending arrival they might try to avoid him, so he needed to be as quiet as possible.

He wondered what excuse she would use this time; what reason she would offer up for keeping him out of the house. She had been avoiding him ever since that night and adamantly refused any sort of attempt he made to check up on her from there on in. Normally that wouldn’t matter to him; he would understand that sometimes things between people, (even, dare he say, friends), became awkward and there was just no way around it…but this time he’d promised; and he was only as good as his promises, everyone knew that.

That’s why he’d been made to promise after all…Because everyone knew that he would keep the promise regardless of what happened, and this was one promise that simply had to be kept.

The light in the bedroom was on, as was the one in the den, and he had vague memories of the last time he’d spent more than a minute in her presence and what had resulted. She’d looked almost…disgusted with herself; like she couldn’t possibly sink any lower and it had made him feel nauseous. He’d been with people who hated him, who wanted nothing more than for him to die a slow and painful death, who despised him and everything he stood for, but never had he seen someone look like that. Like they hated themselves, and not him at all, for what had happened in that moment; as if he wasn’t to blame. He was always to blame.

He took a deep breath before rubbing his palms against his thighs and pressing the doorbell. It was a few seconds before he heard footsteps; hesitant, resentful footsteps.

“You shouldn’t be here, Jack.” The iciness in her voice cut like a knife.

“Well I am here…” he bit back. “And you can’t avoid me forever…”

She stared him down, eyes narrowed, and he sensed it as she considered slamming the door in his face, as she had every night for the past week. After a long, internal debate she took a step back and motioned for him to enter.

There were no more excuses left, (not that she really needed one).

“What do you want?” she snapped defensively.

“I want to talk to you about what happened.”

She sighed heavily and for a moment the emotion that used to be so apparent on her face returned.

“There’s nothing to talk about…It was just a mistake.”

“You can’t push everyone away Michelle. You need-”

“I don’t need you.” She cut him off, placing a delicate emphasis on the ‘you’.

They both simultaneously averted each other’s gaze; feeling uncomfortable and almost glad of it. That little bit of awkwardness between them was necessary; it was familiarity they were wary of…it was familiarity that she dreaded.

Jack realized how right she was. He was used to being depended on by so many people. Even when there was no one else you could still depend on Jack Bauer. Jack Bauer was always there when you needed him.

But Michelle didn’t need him. Michelle didn’t need anyone...and there was something oddly liberating about that. When he was with Michelle he didn’t have to maintain his mask and avoid showing even the slightest sign of weakness. He got to be a little more human when he was with her because she didn’t need him to hold the world together for her. She did just fine on her own.

It was what had got them in trouble in the first place.

“You’ve been coming over here every night since and…” her voice trailed off.

They’d kissed.

Somehow they’d ended up kissing, neither being really sure who had initiated it and both of them taking way too long to pull away. It was as if, in that moment, they hadn’t been thinking. They’d simultaneously let their guards down, it was happening before they could stop it and it felt too good – it felt too much – to break it.

“Michelle please…” he inclined his head slightly towards her and the steeliness in her gaze faltered. “I just want to talk to you.”

She tensed slightly at first but nodded in the end.

Of all the things to have sent off warning bells in her head, it was the way he had kissed her that made Michelle finally clue in to what was happening. It wasn’t the idea that a few minutes before they’d been engrossed in a conversation about…him. It wasn’t that they were in their house, surrounded by their things. It wasn’t that her lips were against someone else’s when all of her should be focusing on something else. It was when he did this weird thing with his lips and pressed deeper against her mouth that pulled her out of the moment and made her realize how completely wrong the whole thing was. It was the angle of his head and the way his hands gripped her shoulders that made her realize that this was definitely not how she liked to be kissed. She felt…yes. She had felt contact, but nothing more. She wasn’t caught up in the response of her body – her heart pounding, her stomaching churning – she was focused on the contact and relishing the fact that this was the closest she’d been to another human being in weeks. It did nothing for her though. It was all wrong. Very wrong.

“Why are you doing this, Jack?” she asked cutting straight to the point; she sounded exhausted now.

“I’m worried about you.” He did the same, well aware there was no need to mince words with her. There was no need to coat it with euphemisms to ease her into the truth. Not with her.

“I don’t need you to worry about me.” She snapped and her heels clicked harshly against the tiled floor as she moved quickly from the hallway to the kitchen.

His slower, heavier steps followed.

“Well I do.” He told her flatly as she reached into the cupboard for glasses. “Everyone’s worried.”

“I don’t need you to worry…” She repeated as she pushed the water in front of him. “I need you to do something.”

“I’m trying.”

“Well it’s not working.”

“It’s not that…”

“If President Palmer doesn’t…before he leaves office…it’s over. And I can’t just leave him there because…” a sob rose in her throat and she choked it back.

“Michelle, I am doing everything I can for Tony… You know that.” He assured her, his voice softening.

“I’m sorry I…” she wiped her mouth. “I know you are.”

At first he thought she was going to say something else but instead she reached for her drink. He sighed heavily and took a sip of his own.

“It’s just if he hadn’t…” she broke. Jack sighed tiredly.

“I know you’re angry at him because of what he did. But beating yourself up over it isn’t going to make things any better.”

Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard.

“What Tony did…how many people do you think would’ve been able to make the hard choice – the right choice?”

“How can I be angry at him when he’s the reason I’m still here?” she choked out as Jack stepped closer.

“Because he was lucky nothing bad happened to anyone else because of what he did…you’re angry because innocent people could’ve died so you wouldn’t, and you would never be able to live with yourself if that had happened.” He insisted hoarsely.

“That’s why you and Gael and everyone went inside the Chandler Plaza Hotel. Sacrificing yourself for the people who are innocent and who haven’t done the things we have seems like the only choice there is to make, but Tony chose you.”

Michelle felt her knees give way beneath her and she sunk into the nearest chair, her hands shaking and her head spinning. She had killed a man that day…even though he was going to die anyway she had killed him for being afraid; for wanting to try and save himself. He had done nothing to her and she had shot him point blank. She was as not-innocent as they came now.

“Michelle you have to realize that the decision Tony made was not the decision to let innocent people die so you could live.” Jack’s voice interrupted her reverie. “He wasn’t thinking about all those other people in the split second he had to choose…he was thinking about you and only you and he would never hesitate to protect you. I’ve been there, believe me. I would’ve done whatever was necessary to save Teri…I just didn’t get the chance.”

After a few minutes she finally spoke.

“About before…”

“I’m sorry.” He stated immediately.

She nodded. “Me too.”

“I never meant…”

“I know. It’s okay. It’s done and it was just…one of those things.”

We both needed it. Their eyes locked and she turned away quickly, a familiar sense of déjà vu creeping over her. That’s how it had started the last time. They’d both been looking for something and they were all there was left.

The truth was, he might’ve been there because of her, but he needed her just as much. He needed someone who could relate to it; he needed someone who held no judgment both about his heroin addiction and about what he had done that day. She knew about Ryan…he told her a few weeks afterwards. It was classified and top secret and he had, uncharacteristically, told her. He had to tell someone and there was no one else he trusted like that anymore.

“They want me to go to Seattle.” She was quiet now.

Jack looked up from the counter and frowned.

“What for?”

“A position at Homeland Security.”

He considered this carefully before finally speaking.

“You should take it.”

“I already did.”

He looked at her in surprise.

“I can’t keep doing this…CTU…everyday,” she shrugged defeatedly. “It’s getting harder and harder and now that Driscoll’s there it’s even worse.”

He nodded. That was the main reason he wanted Michelle to take the job. She and Erin Driscoll were like oil and water for whatever reason. There were few people Michelle clashed with professionally. She always found a way to work with almost anyone (it was a trait that was invaluable, especially since neither he or Tony could boast about having the same thing). But the second Driscoll had stepped into CTU and started ordering everyone around and changing protocols, practically undoing everything the three of them had spent the better part of three years trying to build, Michelle went on the defensive. Michelle started confronting the new Director over orders that contradicted ones that would’ve otherwise been given. She came to Jack for support which he willingly gave, (namely because he thought Michelle was right, but partially because he thought Erin Driscoll was on a power trip) but Driscoll seemed determined to get rid of Michelle. So much so that all of this had come to fruition the previous week…the same day they ended up kissing.

“Erin, I think it’s a mistake to call in an air assault. The chance of Isaacson actually being in that building is slim and it would destroy any evidence.”

“You may have become comfortable taking risks like that under old management, but this isn’t how we’re going to be running things anymore. We play by the rules to minimize blowback from District.”

“Thousands of people could be dead in a few hours if we don’t find Isaacson and you’re trying to cover your own ass.” Michelle snapped back.

“Michelle, I understand things may have been different for you when your husband was in charge, but the last time I checked we didn’t speak to our superiors like that.”

“And the last time I checked we’re supposed to be preventing the loss of life - !”

“Things at CTU were in chaos before. The fact that Tony Almeida was even put in such a position was unthinkable and now he’s a convicted traitor. You shouldn’t have even been working together in the first place.”

“And if you think by changing the subject you can beat me into submission I invite you to try.”

Michelle stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

He’d taken her home that night, despite her protests and in the midst of climbing the small steps to the house she’d broken down – the first time he’d seen her do so…ever. She’d collapsed against the porch and hugged her knees to her chest as she sobbed quietly. He hadn’t tried to reassure her or comfort her; he’d simply found the key in her purse and opened the door. When she’d calmed down he lifted her up and helped her into the house and by the time they’d made it into the living room they were kissing.

They broke apart as he bumped against the coffee table and she pushed him away slightly, running her fingers through her hair. He watched her sadly as they both mumbled hurried apologies over each other and he finally declared he should go and she agreed wholeheartedly.

“You’ll be okay?” As guilty he have felt about kissing his only friend’s wife he’d have felt even worse if he left to fall to pieces alone. He’d made one promise and it had nothing to do with presidential pardons or appeals: he’d promised he’d take care of her whether she wanted him to or not.

“Yeah…” her cheeks were flushed and she blinked back the stinging in her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

“When do you leave?” Jack asked quietly.

“Two weeks. Homeland has been informed of the circumstances. They found an apartment for me and I’ll have a few consecutive days off a month so I can go back and forth…”

Jack nodded solemnly and Michelle felt nothing. Feeling would mean feeling the guilt and the guilt was unbearable. She hoped it would get better when she’d settled in Seattle, but the idea that she was abandoning him when he needed her the most – when she was the reason he needed her the most – ate away at her.

“I mean, it’s not like they let me see him much anyway.” She gulped, brushing back a few loose tears.

“And he keeps telling me not to even bother coming so maybe…this’ll help. And maybe if I give us both some breathing room President Palmer will be able to help and then I can come back.”

“I’ll be here.” Jack assured her. “There’s no reason to feel guilty.”

Michelle smiled weakly. “I know. I can’t help it.”

Jack sighed heavily as he met her eyes.

“I know.”

Me either.

24 Fic: Lament - Tony/Michelle

2009-02-27T03:09:55Z

Title: Lament

Fandom: 24

Characters: Tony Almeida/Michelle Dessler

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Tony’s got a lot to consider right now. Day 5 spoilers.

Author's Notes: This is a form of repayment for astrum_presul and agent_almeida since they both supplied me with fic this week. Mine’s not as fun and fluffy as theirs though. Enjoy! Also, the header formatting was stolen from astrum_presul

She wouldn’t want you to do it.

The voice nagged at him, poked at his conscience, almost taunted him. He could almost hear her saying it.

But no, he would never hear her say that again and it was because of the man lying in front of him. The man he had at his mercy who was probably going to die at some point in the next few hours anyway if he wasn’t dead already. Who was Jack kidding? He’d killed David Palmer; the man wasn’t going to live to see another day…

He can still feel her lips on his cheek a few seconds before she walked out the door that morning…before she... Goddamnit she wasn’t supposed to do this to him. All he had wanted was to protect her, he had always done everything he could to protect her and in those last few moments he’d almost…given up. It was like he finally realized that nothing he said or did would ever convince her that she wasn’t doing the right thing. She always did the right thing.

She was so much better than him. So much better than him in every way a person could be better than another person…She was sweet and lovable and one of those fundamentally good people that you would consider yourself lucky to bump into once in a lifetime. Her strength of conviction was one of the reasons he loved her so much; it was one of the things that had drawn him to her in the beginning and that had been reaffirmed in…the end.

And she’d loved him. God only knew why.

Everything she did was the right thing to do. Always. Every time she put herself on the line, whether intentionally or not, it was because it was for the good of someone else, because she couldn’t justify not doing what she needed to do if it meant that innocent people would get hurt. She hated not being able to help. She hated when she was in a position to do something and her hands were tied, or there was simply nothing anyone could do. It drove…had driven her insane…

He hates that he’s begun to think of her in past tense. He hates that people keep insisting things will get better with time. He doesn’t want things to get better. He wants to be miserable day in and day out for the rest of his life. If things become easier it means he’s remembering less and forgetting more and he, masochistic or not, wants that pain. He wants to cling to the feeling of not having her until he takes his last breath.

Now it hasn’t been that long and he still remembers her as well as if she were standing right beside him. He can feel her hand on his shoulder, pulling him back, telling him he doesn’t need to do this and that it’s okay…she’s okay. She’s talking to him now because he knows her so goddamn well and he knows what she would say if she saw what he was about to do.

Tony, don’t…please…

He’s not that ruthless and he’s certainly not a cold-hearted murderer; he wasn’t Jack and she’d never wanted him to be that. She loved his warmth and his fierce emotions and the way he made as many decisions with his heart as he did with his head…If it were to protect her he wouldn’t have hesitated. He could never hesitate to protect her. But…he’d already lost her and she would never want him to do something like this for no good reason. He couldn’t save her this time.

…….

If you were to look at the video footage from Medical you would likely deduce it was the hesitation that killed him. The indecision, or, in Tony’s case, the decision not to, is what resulted in him being stabbed with a syringe and collapsing to the ground while Jack cradled him in his arms.

And Tony has to admire the irony of this all. Because really, he was already dead when Jack found him lying on the floor, gasping for breath; he was already dead when he filled the syringe to be plunged into Christopher Henderson’s chest; he was already dead when the doctors and guards dragged him back to his bed in front of Bill.

He’d been dead since early that morning.

He died with her.