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“Damn it, Cameron! Turn on your phone!” Kay spat angrily into her own cell. She had called him at least ten times in the past twenty minutes, and each time it went straight to voicemail.She hadn’t seen him for two weeks. Not since their fight after Mystery Woman made a deal with the FBI. ‘No more promises’ he had said... and Kay didn’t blame him. He had every right to be angry and feel betrayed, but that fact didn’t stop the phrase from cutting deeper every time she replayed it in her mind. Kay really hoped they could get passed this. That’s why she has been giving Cameron his space. So, he can take time to process everything and figure out his next move. In all honesty, Kay thought he was going to pull off a secret deception and break Jonathan out of prison. However, there was no news of any breakout. Just a stabbing.About 30 minutes ago, she received a call from the prison informing her that Johnny had been attacked and stabbed pretty badly in the gut. That’s why she was now desperately trying to get a hold of Cam. Apparently, he wasn’t taking any calls at the moment... or maybe he just wasn’t taking any of her calls. Either way, Kay was feeling very frustrated. At least she was able to get word to the rest of the team though. All of which were now huddled around the front desk as she entered the hospital.Tucking her phone into her jacket pocket, Kay overheard them asking about Johnny. The male nurse wouldn’t divulge anything though because they weren’t family. Mike tried to use his FBI status, but he forgot his badge so the tactic was useless. Quickly joining the group and flashing her own credentials, Kay said, “Kay Daniels, FBI. What’s the status on inmate, Jonathan Black?” Nurse Tedesco, a lean Italian man in his thirties, adjusted his glasses and looked over her badge. Accepting that her status was legitimate, he nodded and replied, "Let me check his file..." He trailed off. After a few taps and clicks, Tedesco had a digital copy of Johnny's chart pulled up on his computer and began to speak again, "Ah, yes, here we go... Jonathan Black was admitted for two stab wounds in the abdomen. He's in surgery now.""Is he going to be all right?" Dina asked worriedly, gripping Mike's arm in apprehension of the nurse's next words.Mike put a comforting arm around her as the nurse went on, "He's in good hands right now. The moment I learn anything more, I 'll be sure to let you know." Kay didn't miss the way Tedesco evaded the question, but she nodded anyway and thanked him for the information. Turning to the gang, she added, "It could be a while, you guys should head home. I'll call you later when I get an update.""No way, man. I mean, woman. Agent?" Jordan fumbled for the right wording.Interrupting, Gunter placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "What the boy is trying to say is we aren't going anywhere.""Exactly." Jordan agreed, giving him a pat to the back. Then the men stared at her intently as they crossed their arms over their chests in unison. If the situation wasn't so serious, Kay would have laughed.Just then, Dina chimed in, "Jonathan isn't just part of our team, you know? He is part of our family... and family sticks together." She finished, crossing her arms too.Kay wasn't sure if it was Dina's sentimental speech or the fact that Gunter and Jordan were actually getting along for once, but either way she decided not to argue and instead gestured toward the waiting room. As they each took a seat in the sea of pinewood and blue fabric, she couldn't help but blurt out the question that was taking up the most of her brain these days: "Where's Cameron? Has anyone heard from him?""No, sorry, love." Dina responded."I tried to ping his cell, but haven't had any luck. It must be turned off." Jordan explained. "I have a tracking system in place, so whenever he turns it back on, I'll know.""Look, you guys, I'm sure he's fine." Mike assured. "He just needs time to process everything.""Maybe." Kay said uncertainly as she bit at her thumbnail."Mike's right." Dina sighed. "Cameron always had hope that he could free Johnny, we all did... and now that hope is gone. It'll take him time to accept it. I'm still working on it myself. God, and now he might die... it's just not fair. Jonathan doesn't deserve this! Any of this!" By the end of her rant, she was starting to shake. As Mike hugged her, she began to sob into his jacket. He didn't care though, he just stroked her back and held her tight. He knew this was rougher on Dina more than the others. After all, her relationship with Johnny was romantic for a time, but Mike knew she was over him. So, he wasn't jealous or anything. He just felt bad for Dina. Jonathan may not have deserved his fate, but Dina didn't deserve what she was being put through either.It got quiet after that as the team waited in silence. Kay looked around at the team. Between Dina's sniffling, Jordan's incessant knee bouncing, and the tick in Gunter's jaw, she knew they were all worried. However, the one she was most worried about was Cameron. When he got the message about his brother, he was going to be devastated. Jonathan better pull through, he had to. This is not how his case was going to end... not if she could help it. But the fact of the matter was... she couldn't. Right now she was helpless. All she could do was sit and wait. So, she did.Another hour and a half later, after several snack machine raids and a lot of pacing, a forty-something blonde woman dressed in scrubs entered the waiting room. She had a few words with Nurse Tedesco who gestured toward the corner of the room that the gang sat in. As she made her way over, Kay met her half way."Are you the family of Jonathan Black?" The doctor queried."Kay Daniels, FBI." She explained, flashing her credentials yet again as the rest of the team gathered around her."Dr. Palmer." She replied in kind, shaking her hand.After pleasantries were exchanged, Kay got down to business. "How is Jonathan doing?"Not missing a beat, Dr. Palmer responded, "Well, one of his kidneys was badly punctured. The damage was severe enough that we went ahead and removed it.""Does he need a new one?" Jordan asked. "Because I would be honored to donate Gunter's kidney on his behalf.""Don't mind him." Gunter retorted. "He's not with us, he just escaped from one of your rooms in the back with the rubber walls. I'll gladly lock him back up for you.""Enough!" Dina and Kay both snapped, interrupting the boys' banter. Though the fighting made things feel more normal, they much rather hear the doctor talk. They had to know Johnny was okay."Please, doc," Mike nodded. "Continue."Dr. Palmer stifled a chuckle and said, "A donation will not be necessary. One kidney is enough for the body to function normally. Other than a minor complication during the procedure, everything went fine, and he should make a full recovery."Everyone sighed in relief except Kay who questioned, "What was the minor complication?""We gave him a dose a of Succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant we use to prep patients for surgery, but he had an allergic reaction.""Oh, my god." Dina blurted out in shock as she lowered herself back to a sitting position and rubbed her temple."Don't worry." The doctor told her. "It was touch and go for a moment, but like I said before he's okay now and will recover fully."Placing a hand soothingly on her shoulder, Mike prompted, "Shouldn't an allergy like that be listed in his file?""Normally, it would be." The doctor nodded. "According to his medical history, he did have his tonsils removed as a child, and this should have come up then. Unless, it was developed later on. However, my guess is there was clerical error. Someone probably forgot to note down the allergy. Anyway, it's in his file now, so their shouldn't be any more worries.""When can we see him?" Kay asked."He's awake now. The pain meds will be kicking in shortly to help him rest. Until then, I think it would be okay for Jonathan to have a visitor... but just one. I'll give you a moment to decide." Dr. Palmer smiled, then made her way back through the double doors she entered earlier.Kay let out a breath, she didn't realize she had been holding in. Letting relief rush through her, she turned to the group and said, "Dina, I think you should go. You're the closest to Jonathan.""Yes, that's why he's not going to see it coming when I murder him." She huffed."I know he worried you, but he's fine now." Kay tried to comfort her."No, you don't understand." Dina argued. "There is a reason that allergy wasn't in Jonathan's file.""What do you mean?" Mike queried."Yeah, I'm not following." Jordan agreed, scratching the back of his head in confusion."It's not in Jonathan's file because it's in Cameron's file." She explained."What are you saying, Dina?" Kay probed further, feeling as lost as Jordan, which was pretty scary."I'm saying that Johnny is not now nor has he ever been allergic to Succinylcholine." Dina stated emphatically. "However, I happen to know for a fact that Cameron is, which means...""He's a dead man." Kay finished for her as a wave of clarity followed by a wave of anger washed over her."Well, I'll be damned." Gunter commented to himself as Mike smirked and whispered excitedly, "What an epic deception."" Wait... I thought Johnny didn't have the allergy? So, why would he be dying?" Jordan questioned."Oh, for the love..." Dina mumbled exasperatedly."We'll re-explain it to the nitwit." Gunter told Kay with a roll of his eyes, then added, "You go check on our boy.""Oh, I'll take care of him all right. You guys just keep this conversation quiet until we figure out what exactly is going on, okay?" Kay told them.After an exchange of head nods, Kay turned to go find the doctor. As a mixture of emotions raged under her skin she decided what she really felt most was the urge to yell. Hopefully, Cameron was still awake. If not, he definitely would be in a moment.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dr. Palmer walked Kay down the hall to Cameron's room. After checking his chart and his IV, she gave them a moment alone."Hey, there, Johnny." Kay fake smiled. "How you feeling?""Hey, Ka-gent. Agent." He quickly corrected, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Agent Daniels. Good to see you. I'm just peachy." He was pretty good a being Jonathan behind prison walls, but this? This was a whole new scale of deception. He had to be careful not to give anything away in the slightest or Kay would surely figure him out. Even so, Cam had to admit, he was really glad to see her."Two stab wounds and a missing kidney is fine?" She inquired. "I'd hate to see what not fine looks like.""Yeah, well... I've always been the tougher twin." He said, half-jokingly."Cameron is pretty soft." Kay agreed, baiting her trap."I don't know about that." Cam countered. "He did beat up all those thugs during that street art case. That's pretty tough if you ask me.""Well, sure, maybe physically he's tough, but emotionally not so much." Kay explained. "He's actually pretty delicate... like a flower. Cameron the calla lily.""Ha, yeah... that's a good one." He said dryly, feigning amusement.Knowing she was getting to him, she pushed further and asked, "Speaking of Cameron... have you heard from him lately?""Uh, nope. We're not really talking these days." Cam answered, which was actually true. He's tried to call his brother every day since their impromptu switch, but unfortunately he hasn't been able to reach him yet. But when he does talk to him next, boy, is he going to get an earful."It's just," Kay went on. "I haven't seen him for a couple of weeks now, and I could really use his help on a case.""Sorry, I don't know where Cam is," He lied. "but I'm sure he wishes he could be with you..." Cam trailed off for second, then, realizing how that sounded, he hurried to add, "on the case. He wishes he could be with you on the case.""Right." Kay replied, holding back a smirk. "Well, no worries, I'm sure he will turn up eventually." She paused for a brief moment then decided to go in for the kill. "I could really use an illusionist's point of view though... I guess I can just pay a visit to David Blaine instead. I hear he's in town for a show.""NO-GAH!" Cameron growled. Jerking forward in objection, he put pressure on his recently operated on abdomen, which made him twinge in pain. Leaning back against the hospital bed, he closed his eyes and breathed through the tenderness of his stomach muscles.As he did so, Kay rushed to his side. Placing one hand one on the bed rail and the other on his shoulder comfortingly, she said with a voice full of concern, "Cameron, are you okay?""Yeah, I'm fine." He panted as the throbbing faded."Good," Kay smiled, then punched him in the arm as she added, "now I can kill you!""Hey! What was that fo- Oh... " Cameron trailed off, finally realizing he had just responded to his real name."Oh? That's all you have to say?" She began to rant. "I have been worried sick about you. You've basically been missing for two weeks, and I have to find you like this? I mean, I figured you'd pull some kind of deception stunt to save your brother, but this has got to be your dumbest idea ever.""Technically, this whole thing was Johnny's idea." He defended poorly."I don't care who came up with it!" Kay snapped, like a mother scolding her child, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Then, in a calmer voice, she added, "You should have told me."Seeing the hurt in her eyes, he felt yet another twinge of pain. Except, this time, he felt it in the chest not the stomach. Sighing, he replied solemnly, "Even if I could have, I still wouldn't have. I could never put your career on the line like that. Not for my brother and certainly not for me."She eyed him a moment then asked, "What do you mean 'if you could have?'""Like I said... this was Johnny's plan," He reiterated. "and he sort of sprung it on me impromptu.""Go on..." She urged, wanting to understand how this harebrained scheme made sense."After mystery woman made her deal, I went to visit Jonathan. We talked, then we argued, then he threw a killer right hook." He paused a moment to touch his face where a light bruise lay, then continued. "The next thing I know, I'm waking up on the prison floor wearing Johnny's clothes, and he's... gone.""Gone? He just left you there?" Kay questioned exasperatedly, dropping her arms in surprise. "Unbelievable. Why didn't you tell someone?""Yeah, right, cause I'm sure, 'help me officer, I'm really Johnny's identical twin brother' would have gone over so well." He answered wryly."Maybe they wouldn't have believed you," Kay relented. "But I would have. You could have called me. You should have called me.""I wanted to." Cameron admitted. "But I didn't have the privilege until the next day, and by then, I had done a lot of thinking. I realized that it was my turn.""Turn for what?" She queried."To be in jail." He answered simply."But that's not how it works, Cameron." Kay told him fiercely. "You can't just trade off. You don't deserve to be locked up.""Neither does Johnny." He replied with equal fervor.She sighed ruefully, "I didn't mean it like that. I know Johnny doesn't deserve his fate but neither do you." Kay was pacing and getting all ready to give him one hell of a 'two wrongs don't make a right' speech, but his next words stopped her cold in her tracks."I'm not so sure about that." He replied quietly, voice barely above a whisper."What are you talking about?" Kay said, staring at him completely baffled."I spent my whole childhood pretending Jonathan wasn't alive, then my whole adulthood forcing him into a career he never wanted... and when he got arrested for a crime he didn't commit, I let him rot in prison for over year, while I failed to find any leads. I failed him, Kay. Over and over and over again. I deserve to be here.""Cameron." She said slowly and clearly as she folded the guard rail down and sat on the edge of his bed facing him. Grabbing his hand, she pleaded. "Listen to me."He avoided her gaze but squeezed her hand lightly, so she knew he was listening."You may not have always made the best choices, but you are a good man. In fact, you're one of the best people I have ever met." After a brief pause, she added teasingly, "I mean it... I don't just pour my heart out to anyone you know."At that, Cameron finally met her eyes and said, "Pour your heart out? Did you make some kind of confession while I was asleep?" He wondered aloud, only half joking.Kay smirked, "I'm talking about our conversation two weeks ago." When he just furrowed his brow in response, she continued on. "At your place? You were packing a bag, probably for Jonathan in hindsight, but I interrupted you, and we argued... and things were said."Cam clenched his jaw angrily and finally replied, "That wasn't me. Jonathan must've made a pit stop after switching places.""Son of a... I knew something was off." She muttered. "I mean I thought it was pretty odd that you weren't talking much. You-he- barely said anything, except when I asked him to promise that--""What?" He probed further when she didn't finish.Kay shook her head and said, "Nothing. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is getting you out of jail. We have to tell--"No." He cut her off forcefully. "Johnny spent his whole life protecting me. Now it's my turn to do the same.""Cameron, are you even sure he's coming back?" She hated to ask the question, but it was warranted, and they both knew it."I know this seems crazy, Kay," He told her, purposely evading the question. "But If I can't prove him innocent, maybe he can. The least I can do is let him try.""But for how long? You were only Jonathan for two weeks and almost died. How much longer do you think you can really keep it up?" Kay inquired in a shaky voice."I don't know." Cameron answered honestly. "All I do know is I have to do this. I owe it to my brother.""This is too dangerous, Cam." She warned him. "You don't know what kind of enemies he's made in prison or deals he's made with any of the convicts for survival. One wrong move, and next time you could lose more than a kidney.""Kay, listen to me, I am not gonna die in prison." He promised, squeezing her hand that he still held reassuringly.She sighed wistfully, wanting desperately to believe him, but she knew better. She knew the system. Leaving him in jail was just too risky. They needed a plan. No, a deception. A deception so perfect that it would allow the team to free Cameron from prison without getting Jonathan into any more trouble. As she gazed into Cam's eyes and listened to him repeat his promise once more, a light bulb suddenly went off in her head, and she smiled, "I got it. I know how we're gonna deception our way out of this.""How?" He asked skeptically, liking the idea of freedom, but not if it put his brother at risk.Seeing it all come together in her mind, Kay's smile widened as she replied excitedly, "You're gonna die in prison."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After a long discussion in the waiting room, the team agreed they had to break Cameron out of prison, and they would fake his death to do it. It would take three to six weeks before Cam would be recovered enough to take part in the deception they had in mind, which Kay didn't like. In prison, he was a sitting duck. The longer Cameron stayed there, the higher the chance he would cross the wrong inmate and pay for it with more blood. However, getting him out too soon could be just as dangerous. If Cameron wasn't healed enough from surgery, it could mess up the plan and get them all caught. After careful consideration, they finally compromised to wait four weeks. That should give Cam enough time to heal, and everyone else enough time to get everything all set up.Realizing the hospital was too public to continue this conversation, they moved their little powwow to the annex and began to iron out all the details. They came up with quite the plan involving fake complications from Cameron's surgery, a car swap, a body swap, and an automobile accident that would be the end of Jonathan Black as far as the public eye was concerned.Over the next four weeks, they planned and prepped everything down to the very last facet. Jordan made a visit to Cameron at the prison a few days before the deception was to go down. He gave him a rundown of the plan, and, in return, Cam helped smooth out some of the rough edges. This was the most important deception they had ever designed, and it had to go off without a hitch.Naturally, there was a hitch. Fortunately, the team was used to improvising and managed to come up with a quick, semi-risky solution to their problem, which prevailed, letting them keep on with the rest of their plan and drive Cameron to safety. When all was said and done, they couldn't meet up to celebrate like they normally would after a successful deception. They needed to keep a low profile. So, everyone went home and enjoyed a normal night to themselves.The next day, the news was out. Jonathan Black was officially declared dead by the NYPD due to an unfortunate car accident. Cameron sat on his couch, drinking coffee and watching the news report. Detectives had come by his place earlier and given him the news formally then asked a bunch of questions. Satisfied with his answers, they told him they would release the body to him by tomorrow and left him to grieve. After that, he had taken a long nap. It was amazing to sleep in his own California king bed again, not to mention to have a long, steamy shower all to himself.Smiling contentedly at the thought of being home, he was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. Setting his mug on the coffee table, he strode over to the front door and opened it. Speaking of things that made him happy..."Hey." Kay smiled."Hey." Cameron replied in kind, opening the door wider and stepping aside for her to come in. "What are you doing here?""Well, officially, I'm checking on my friend who just lost his brother and bringing him dinner." She explained, lifting the bag of take out she held in her left hand. "Unofficially, I'm checking on my friend who just escaped prison after recently getting surgery. I'm pretty sure Chinese food works for both instances.""It most definitely does." He nodded as his mouth began to water. Cam hadn't realized how hungry he was until now. He had been busy most of the day with the police and worrying about Johnny's reaction to finding out he's dead, so he hadn't eaten very much. There was also that fact that he gorged himself when he first got home the previous night. Safe to say, he was so over prison food."Good." She smiled, handing him the bag. "I hope you don't mind having a dinner guest because I'm starved, and I did come all this way.""Well," He said, pausing to open the plastic bag and take a gander at the goods. "considering you bought enough to feed a small army, I could definitely use some help.""I wasn't totally sure what you liked, so I got a hodgepodge." Kay explained. "Dibs on the chicken dumplings.""Only if I get the pot stickers." Cameron challenged.Kay quirked a brow and asked, "How do you know I even got any?""For one, no self-respecting person goes into a Chinese restaurant without ordering pot stickers, and two, there's not a pot sticker in a ten a mile radius that I can't sniff out." He told her of his all-time favorite appetizer.Chuckling, she shook her head and said, "They're all yours.""C'mon." He nodded, gesturing for her to follow him. They went to the living room where they sat on the couch and proceeded to empty the bag of all its contents.Kay was digging into some shrimp fried rice when she questioned, "How did everything go today with the local police?""Pretty standard I guess. They are releasing the body tomorrow... what's left of it after the explosion anyway.""You should get him cremated to destroy what's left of the evidence." She commented. "Then, we can have a small wake with the group, so we don't raise any suspicions.""Smart." He nodded. "But can we not talk about cremated remains while I'm eating roast duck.""Deal." Kay laughed.The two of them continued to chat about this and that, then swapped a few childhood stories as they enjoyed their little feast. When the food was nearly gone, and Cam and Kay were just about full, they both reached in the bag for a fortune cookie at the same time. The simultaneous motion caused their hands to brush against each other.Unprepared for the sudden touch and slightly embarrassed, Kay blushed lightly and jerked her arm back as she said, "Sorry."Cameron, who yanked his away just as rapidly, cleared his throat and replied, "No, after you."Giving him a small smile, she brushed some loose, dark hair behind her ear and reached again for a cookie. After she had hers, he proceeded to take one of his own. The pair then counted down and cracked them open at the same time."Do or do not. There is no try." Cam read his aloud first. "Huh, didn't realize Yoda spent his off time working at a fortune cookie factory... kinda makes sense though. He is pretty good with advice.""Whatever you say, Skywalker." Kay teased, then watched Cameron go to reply with devilish grin and abruptly added, "If you're response involves calling me Leia in any way, shape, or form, I will use force on you.""You mean the force." He corrected."No." She said firmly. "I don't."Not sure exactly how serious she was, Cam decided to not say the witty retort he came up with and instead prodded, "So, what's your fortune say?"Glancing at it again, Kay read aloud, "The truth will set you free.""Poetic." He responded, then after sharing small smile, they fell into a comfortable silence as they began to clean up the empty cartons on the table. After stacking them, Kay carried them to the garbage can in the kitchen, while Cameron put the leftovers in the fridge. After that was done, they found themselves still stuck in the quiet, but this time, as they stood awkwardly in the kitchen staring at each other, Cam felt anything but comfortable. Their fortunes swam around in his mind as he stared at her, and he realized that there actually was something he needed to do and a truth that she needed to set free."Kay?" He queried, voice soft."Yeah?" She retorted."Since your fortune demands you be honest and all, can I... ask you something?" He questioned further."Of course." Kay answered immediately. "What's on your mind?""It's just... I keep thinking about the hospital." Cameron told her. "When you came to visit me after my surgery a while back, you mentioned talking to Johnny thinking that it was me. You said you poured your heart out to me. What exactly did you say?"Kay sighed, knowing she didn't really want to answer but was going to anyway. He deserved the truth, and apparently it would be freeing for her in the long run. So, after a moment, she replied, "I knew you were upset about MW, and I knew you were probably planning to free Jonathan in secret. So, I told you, or who I thought was you, that I understood, that I wasn't going to stop you. I said that I didn't want to be that person in your life... that I wanted to be more than that.""What does that mean?" He inquired, genuinely confused as he crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. He hoped Kay was saying what he thought she was saying, but until Cam knew for sure, he was going to remain cool, calm, and collected, a feat that was currently taking every ounce of self-control that he had.Standing in front of him, she played with her hands nervously as she explained, "Cameron, ever since the day you walked into that airplane hangar, you turned my world upside down. You challenged me to think outside the box and reminded me that it's okay to have to a little fun both on and off the job. Most importantly, you made me open up... you shed a light on a darkness inside me that I didn't even realize I had, and it took the thought of you leaving to make me see that I never want to lose that light. I never want to lose you. What I'm trying to say, Cam, is that you're more than just a magician or a colleague to me... more than just a friend... and I want to be more to you."Cameron was speechless for a moment, he was failing to find the words to respond, which was a first for him."Cameron, please... say something." Kay urged.It was then that he finally realized that words were overrated and moved forward to place his hands on either side of her cheeks then crashed his lips into hers. After a long, passionate kiss, he pulled back enough to look her deeply in the eyes and finally say, "You mean more, Kay... more than you will ever know."After smiling back, she toyed with the collar of his shirt and added thoughtfully, "Good... but we need to take things slowly, okay? I don't want to screw this thing, whatever it is between us, up.""C'mon, Kay, I think we both know what this thing between us is." Cameron said confidently. When she only quirked a brow in response, he smirked as he elaborated with just one single word. "Magic."Fighting a smirk of her own, and failing miserably, she retorted, "Just shut up and kiss me again."And Cameron was oh too happy to oblige as he wrapped his arms around her tighter, pulled her in close, and leaned in with a cheeky expression on his face.As they kissed longer, harder, and deeper, Kay felt sparks shoot through her entire body and thought that Cam just might be on to something. She still wasn't exactly sure what to call their relationship, however, it was pretty clear that she was most definitely caught up in some "Black magic," and she never wanted the spell to end.