18. ♞ 0 DAYS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT

WHILE MICHAEL WAS IN THE infirmary, Phoebe sat alone at the table that Michael had been sitting at earlier, her leg bouncing rapidly and her hands squeezing one another nervously. She despised being alone, and she hated being separated from Michael, but she knew she had to learn to deal with it. If their plan worked and Tancredi believed Michael was diabetic, he'd be going back to the infirmary a lot more often, which also meant Phoebe would be alone a lot more often. She hated the idea, but she knew it was necessary for their plan to work.

"Hey... Are you okay?" Cameron asked quietly as he approached her with his hands in his pockets. Phoebe frowned at him, but nodded anyways.

"I'm fine." She deadpanned, looking away from him and to the heavy metal door that Michael had been taken inside the prison through, waiting nervously for him to come back outside. She would never admit it, but she was glad that she at least had Cameron with her while Michael was gone.

"Mind if I...?" Cameron motioned to the bench across from Phoebe at the table. Phoebe felt relief at the question, but continued to frown and she shrugged.

"I'd rather not, but it's not like I own the bench." Phoebe sassed, rolling her eyes when she saw Cameron take a seat in front of her. She was glad that he was stubborn and decided to sit there anyways. She was relieved to have him there with her, even if she was still upset and angry at him for everything that'd happened.

"Where's your... whatever he is. Boyfriend or whatever." Cameron asked bitterly, scratching the back of his head. Phoebe snapped her head in his direction and glared at him, catching onto the distasteful tone in his voice.

"You mean Michael? My best friend? My family?" She questioned just as bitterly as Cameron had done. Cameron slowly nodded. "Why do you care?"

"I was just asking... I haven't really seen you separated from him and much less completely alone since you arrived." Cameron said, a blush creeping onto his cheeks as he realized what he'd said. Phoebe's eyes widened and she slightly blushed, but crossed her arms to disguise how nervous she was getting. Her heart was racing.

"Since I arrived? You've been stalking me since I got here?" She asked in surprise, a burst of anger suddenly rising inside of her. Cameron quickly shook his head.

"No! Of course not. I'm not some creepy stalker." He said with a sigh. "It was just hard not to notice you. I mean, you caused a ruckus in the cell block the second you arrived with all the inmates cat calling. How would I not notice you? Specially after I realized it was you. I just..." Cameron paused, looking down at the table. Phoebe cocked a brow.

"You just... what?"

"I just couldn't keep my eyes off of you. I couldn't stop thinking about you. You've been all I can think about since you got here..." Cameron admitted shyly, a blush creeping onto his cheeks again as he looked away. Phoebe clenched her jaw.

"May I ask why?" Phoebe snapped, her chin held up high as she tried to make it seem like it wasn't really bothering her that her ex boyfriend had just admitted that he couldn't stop thinking about her. Cameron gulped.

"Well, I mean... you were the love of my life at one point... It's hard not to think about that after seeing you again after so many years." Cameron said quietly. A sick feeling rose in Phoebe's throat, and she felt as if she were about to cry.

"Yeah? And who's fault is if that we haven't seen each other in years? Or talked? Or had any contact at all?" Phoebe snarled, hoping to hurt him back in some way. In that moment, Phoebe realized exactly what was happening. She was in prison. Talking to her ex boyfriend. She hadn't even asked herself; why was Cameron in prison? What had he done?

"Okay, can we not talk about that?" Cameron snapped in return. Phoebe rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Whatever. You're always the one bringing it up first." Phoebe mumbled, to which Cameron rolled his eyes in response. "Why are you in here anyways?" Phoebe asked. Cameron cocked a brow.

"Because our whole cell block is out here?" Cameron replied in a sort-of question, confused by her question. Phoebe rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Not in the courtyard, you idiot. I mean in prison." She retorted with a scoff. Cameron cocked a brow again.

"Have you not seen the news about me?" Cameron inquired earnestly. Phoebe stared at him in boredom.

"I don't keep up with the news, and much less if they were about you. I've been a very busy woman with a very successful job, I've never had time to watch tv." She sassed, trying to make him realize what he'd lost when he left her. It didn't quite work out the way Phoebe had intended, though.

"Yeah, clearly. I can tell." Cameron sassed in return as he rolled his eyes. "Why don't you tell me why you're in here?" Phoebe clenched her jaw.

"Have you not seen the news about me?" Phoebe retorted, throwing his words back at him. Cameron huffed in annoyance.

"I'm in prison. Where am I gonna see or hear any news about you?" Movement caught Phoebe's attention and she turned to see what it was, quickly realizing it was Michael standing by a gate and seemingly waiting for Bellick to return to his side to lead him inside the cell block. Phoebe shook her head at Cameron and stood up.

       "Never mind." She replied seriously as she left without another word, speed-walking over to Michael. Cameron sighed, watching her from his place on the bench. Phoebe slowed her pace when she saw three inmates walk towards Michael and grab him by the arms, motioning for him to follow them. Michael was then surrounded by the men and led into a small shed at the end of the courtyard. Phoebe then froze as she saw Bellick return and stand in Michael's previous spot, looking in the direction of the shed with a smirk on his face before turning on his heels and walking back inside.

A sick feeling arose in Phoebe's stomach as she went back to speed walking, rushing through the gates and in direction of the shed before anyone could see her and stop her. As she turned the corner and headed to the shed, she saw Cameron watching her with a confused look, but she pretended not to see him as she walked slower and slower the closer she got to the shed, hearing the sounds of struggling.

"Now I'm gonna count to three." She could hear Abruzzi saying inside the shed as she saw one of Michael's shoes being thrown across the room and flying past the door in front of her. Phoebe gulped before walking into the shed and freezing in her spot at the door, seeing the three inmates holding Michael, Abruzzi standing there, with one of the inmates holding shears to one of Michael's feet, his pinky toe sitting in between the sharp blades of the shears. "One,"

"No wait wait!" Phoebe begged as she suddenly reacted and approached them. "Please don't!" They all turned to face her, Michael giving her a terrified glare.

"Okay. I won't." Abruzzi responded calmly. "If you give me Fibonacci." Phoebe was taken aback, scoffing as she tried to find something to say.

"We give you that information, we're dead." Michael said. "You know it, and I know it." He said to Abruzzi, who only sighed.

"Two," Abruzzi continued. Phoebe planned on ramming herself into the man holding the shears, but she feared he'd either, one: accidentally cut Michael's toe off in the process, or two: stab her with the shears. She had no idea what to do.

"I'll tell you the moment we're outside those walls, and not a second before." Michael said between nervous and fearful huffs. Phoebe bit her lip, wringing her hands together nervously.

"You tell me now." Abruzzi retorted. Michael gave a shaky breath and a shudder as he looked from Phoebe to Abruzzi.

"Not gonna happen, John." Michael whispered, looking back at Phoebe, who's eyes were filling with tears.

"Hey," Abruzzi snapped, "I'm gonna give you one last chance." He said, his head tilting as he stared at Michael. Michael's breathing quickened as he remained silent, knowing what would come next.

"Please don't! Don't hurt him! I'll do anything, just don't hurt him!" Phoebe begged desperately. Abruzzi turned back to face Phoebe with a smirk.

"Don't, Phoebe." Michael huffed. Phoebe held up a finger to shut him up as Abruzzi chuckled.

"Will you give me Fibonacci?" Abruzzi asked again. Phoebe's chest tightened and her throat closed as she looked at Michael, who shook his head, and then looked back at Abruzzi before shaking her head. "Okay then." Abruzzi said, turning back to face Michael as he said, "Three."