HANNAH'S POV
Day two is much less eventful compared to day one. Probably because it's lunchtime and I haven't seen Santiago yet. He promised me that we would see each other today but we just finished up with all our vaccinations and will leave immediately after we eat.
Dr. Matthew is happy that we have cut out time by half but I don't want to leave before I see Santiago yet. He is cracking jokes with Wyatt and Dr. Lamont, Doris is flirting with the warden and I'm sulking alone. I'd love to join in on their laughter but I haven't had a reason to smile all day.
Yesterday was great though, I got to see Santiago for the first time and he exceeded all of my expectations. The man is drop dead gorgeous, a gentleman with a bad boy side to him that I find endearing. Hearing him call me mami in person was a gift that I desire to receive one last time before we leave the prison.
I hear some conversation outside before the door opens and Santiago enters with another inmate carrying food trays. There presence makes all the conversation in the room to cease. I smile at the sight of him, his eyes immediately finding me. He doesn't smile back but I don't miss the happy glint in his gaze.
"Lunch." He announces even though it's obvious what he's doing in the room.
Yesterday two other inmates brought our lunch and they were gone in less than two minutes. I know Santiago promised that we would see each other but is the one minute lunch drop off enough.
Not for me. I want more.
"Set it down and leave." Warden McKinley demands.
Santiago steps closer and since I am closet to the door, he sets his tray down next to me. He smells like detergent and grease, a weird combination but not a terrible one.
"Wait five minutes then ask to go to the bathroom." He whispers and I almost miss it gawking at him.
He straightens up and looks at me. I nod in response so that he knows I heard him.
"Please excuse us. Enjoy your meal." He says with a polite bow before leaving the room with the other creepy inmate behind him.
"So polite, if only all inmates were like him." Doris comments.
"He is one of the tame ones." McKinley agrees as if he is talking about zoo animals.
Everyone digs into their food and its quite good for food that has been prepared in a prison kitchen. Like Santiago asked me, as soon as five minutes are up, I push my chair back and get up.
"Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." I request.
"The one here is broken. Finn, accompany her to the one on the second floor and don't leave her side." Warden McKinley demands.
"Yes sir, right this way ma'am." Finn says getting the door for me.
I'm assuming Santiago knows all about this so he is probably waiting for me on the second floor. I'm too nervous to say anything to Finn so I'm silent the whole way to the bathroom. We don't come across any inmates which I am grateful for. Most of them scare me, except for the two I am familiar with, sweet Julius and my Santiago.
"You can use this bathroom ma'am." Finn says opening the door to a unisex marked bathroom.
"What did I tell you about that?" I scold him.
Being called ma'am makes me feel so old.
"Sorry, southern habit." Finn apologizes blushing profusely.
I'm about to open one of the stalls when Santiago comes out of it wearing a navy blue uniform. When did he change?
"Delgado what the hell are you doing here?" Finn asks looking confused.
Santiago gives me a brief smile before stepping closer to Finn with his hands raised up to show he is not a threat.
"Finn I am going to tell you something and I need you to take me very seriously." Santiago demands.
He looks tense which puts me on edge as I have no idea what he's planning.
"Tell me? What's this about and why are you wearing a cleaners uniform?" Finn insists.
"There's going to be a riot if it hasn't already started." Santiago explains.
"What?" Finn and I exclaim at the same time.
A riot? I have no idea whether he is joking or not.
"I don't have time to explain ..." Santiago rambles just as we hear a loud crash in the distance followed by lots of yelling.
"What was that?" Finn exclaims walking towards the door to peep out.
"The riot I was about to warn you about." Santiago reminds him.
Shit! He is serious. Is this how the Johnson siblings are meant to die? In prison riots? This cannot be the end of my journey. I have so much to do.
"Cesar." I whisper feeling very scared.
"It's okay mami, I've got you." He reassures me.
I want to believe him, I really do but my brother died in this same prison during a riot. I do not want to follow the same fate.
"Finn I need you to listen to me." Santiago requests walking. towards Finn looking impatient
"I need to get Hannah back to the break room." Finn retorts completely ignoring Santiago.
"No you aren't going to do that. That's where they are going to hit first." Santiago informs him.
Doris! Wyatt! Dr. Matthew?! All of my colleagues are in danger.
Finn steps back from the doors and starts pacing running his hands in his hair nervously, his hand over his gun ready to deploy at any moment.
"Finn listen to me." Santiago pleads.
He stops pacing long enough to look at us. "What?" Finn growls looking on edge.
At least he's armed. I'm like a deer in a lion's cave, just waiting to be devoured.
"I need you to leave this bathroom and find some place safe for yourself until all this situation is handled." Santiago instructs him.
"Okay, I'll take Hannah with me." Finn says approaching me.
"No, Hannah is coming with me." Santiago retorts.
Did I just hear him right? He wants me to go with him?
"Did you just ask me to leave a civilian in here with you?" Finn asks unholstering his gun.
I tense at how fast the situation is escalating fearing for my life and Santiagos. If Finn deems him a threat, he will shoot and he will be justified for it.
"Now before you get trigger happy listen to me." Santiago demands trying to diffuse the situation.
"Listen to you? What do you want with her?" Finn yells.
"Same thing you want, to keep her safe. She's mine." Santiago assures him.
"Yours? What do you mean yours?" Finn asks looking even more confused, his hold on his gun firmer than ever ready to fire at a moment's notice.
"You've delivered letters to me over the past couple of months. Who were they from?" Santiago asks.
He's trying to establish our relationship with Finn so that he can trust him.
"What has that got to do with anything?" Finn retorts stepping closer.
"I need you to remember Finn, it'll determine if you can trust me or not." Santiago insists.
"Some Hannah Claire Julian or something." Finn recalls frustrated with Santiago'd tactics but playing along nonetheless.
"Johnson." I correct peeping from behind Santiago.
"It's you?" Finn asks connecting the dots pointing his gun at us.
"Yes, that's why I'm telling you that its safe to leave her with me. She's the target not you and I can keep her safe but you can't. You need to leave and hide someplace safe unless you want to end up like Smith."
I have no idea who Smith is but the mention of his name is enough to make Finn go white with fear.
"But I can't leave her here with you." Finn protests battling with himself.
He is being noble but I honestly trust Santiago more. This riot has been arranged by inmates meaning CO's will be fighting for their lives not keeping us safe. It's everyone for himself and God for us all.
I get startled when I hear the yelling and banging getting closer.
"Yes you can." I add supporting Santiago.
"This is so messed up." Finn laments.
"Yes and you need to leave before they get here and we all die." Santiago reasons.
Finn battles with himself for a moment before turning to us. "Okay fine but if this comes to bite me in the ass later..."
"I know don't worry, I'll keep her safe and we'll avoid the cameras." Santiago assures him.
"I'm leaving then. Keep her safe." Finn insists.
"With my life. If anyone asks, you left her here since you thought it was the safest place when you heard them going for the break room." Santiago instructs.
"Will do." Finn nods still looking unsure but once we hear another crash, he draws his weapon and leaves.
Santiago and I are finally left alone. Fear and excitement propels me towards him. I wrap my hands around his waist burying my face into his chest. I should be excited feeling Santiagos arms around me but I am more scared.
"What's going on?" I ask my voice trembling with fear.
"You made quite the impression yesterday, they are coming after you." Santiago replies trying to make a joke out of it but it only adds to my fear.
"Mami, it's okay. I'm here and nothing will happen to you." Santiago promises.
He sounds sure of himself, his words without fear assuring me that I can trust him.
"Okay." I nod taking calming breaths to all myself.
"Good, I need you to go in there and put on my kitchen uniform over your scrubs. You need to blend in. Your scrubs are too unique, we'll get spotted from a mile away." Santiago demands softly.
"They won't fit." I argue stepping back so he can see that I am not a small girl.
"Mami, I'm pretty jacked if you haven't noticed. They'll be a tight fit but they will fit." He assures me.
The man is so full of himself but in a totally sexy justifiable way.
"I have noticed." I smirk at him eyeing his muscular arms.
The man is fine.
"Good, then get in there. We can't stay here any longer." Santiago demands.
"Okay." I whisper remembering that our lives are in danger.
I move to step back but I'm surprised when Santiago kisses my forehead. My whole body freezes at the feel of his lips on my skin. They are so warm and soft. I want more but this is not the time or place. We need to get out of here so I smile and kiss his cheek before entering the stall Santiago walked out of.
I know that my life is in danger but I can't help but feel excited that Santiago is here with me. I know he will keep me safe so I quickly put on his stained white uniform over my scrubs and he was right, they do though a bit snuggly on the chest, hips and ass areas. I can't even button them up all the way.
"That's as good as it'll get." I comment leaving the stall.
"That's good enough. Please undo your bun. There are a couple of inmates with braids, not as long as yours but you need to look like one of us." Santiago instructs.
I do as he says and stand infront of him with my hair falling loose around my face.
"Now we get out of here. Find some place safe to chill out as we wait for these fools to calm down." Santiago replies.
"Sounds scary but it's better than dying." I nod.
"Good, let's go. When I say run. You run." Santiago demands.
I nod even though I'm not totally convinced.
"Don't worry mami, I won't let anything happen to you." Santiago promises his eyes locked on mine.
"I know, I trust you." I reply knowing he will do his best.
I take his hand and let him lead me out of the bathroom. I make the mistake of glancing down to the lower level as we walk out and see hundreds of crazy looking inmates banging on the walls, fighting and causing chaos as the CO's try to control them. They are outnumbered ten to one and even if they are armed it's still an unfair sight.
"I am going to die in here." I cry out as Santiago leads me through a flight of stairs.
"Not on my watch. Do you have your key card with you? The one they issued you at security." He asks.
"Yeah." I nod reaching into my blouse for it.
I slap it into Santiago's hand as he drags me through what looks like an abandoned side of the prison.
"This wing was burnt down during the last riot and just like everything else that was destroyed then they are yet to fix it. They aren't any cameras but the doors are still active so we'll hide here."
"I thought those cards only gave us access through cameras." I ask confused.
"Yes but they are activated during a riot so that the CO's can get through any door to get to safety, just like this one." Santiago explains swiping the security key card through a panel on the wall.
The door clicks open and Santiago pushes it open to reveal a burnt down row of cells on either side. There's still a hint of smoke in the air with burn marks on the wall, the floor is littered with papers, clothes, shoes and other trash all over.
"Is that blood?" I ask looking closely at some red marks on the wall.
"Don't touch it." Santiago warns pulling my hand away.
"Fuck, it's blood. Cesar, I don't think we should be in here." I cry.
"It's the safest place in the prison right now, trust me." Santiago reassures me.
"Believe me I do but this place looks inhabitable. How long do we have to be here?" I ask.
"A couple of hours. Probably till dawn." He answers.
My steps falter as I lose the power to take another step forward.
"Mami, we need to keep moving." Santiago insists.
"No, what I need is to get out of here." I insist.
"You can't, you're stuck with me for now but you'll be okay. Nobody will come to look for you here. Come on, let's keep moving." Santiago encourages.
He wraps his hand around my waist and urges me forward. He keeps looking around the cells and finally he stops at one at the furthest end of the row.
"This one is not so bad, we'll wait out the riot in here." Santiago declares as he ushers me inside.
At least it's not burnt but it smells musky like week old wet socks.
"Better than anything I guess." I reply getting in.
We hear footsteps outside and instincts once again drive me directly into Santiago's hands.
"We are safe right?" I whisper hearing the inmates trying to break through the door but it's locked.
"Yes, so relax you're with me." Santiago assures me.
Whoever was at the door moves on and its quiet once again. I make a move to step away from Santiago's embrace but he holds on tighter.
"You have no idea how many times I've dreamed of this moment." He confesses.
Amidst all the chaos around us, I manage a smile.
"Me too." I reply lifting my head to look up at his face.
He is already looking down at me, his gaze soft, his arms wound protectively around me. It's taken us months to get to this position right here and even though this is not how I imagined it would happen but it did and since there's no changing it, I decide to embrace it.
"Can I? Can I kiss you? Please. I want to know the feel of your lips against mine." Santiago asks.
His voice is so low and deep, the vibrations causing my skin to tingle. I don't have the words because he just took them right out of my mouth so I nod.
Santiago lowers his mouth onto mine and captures my lips in a slow sweet kiss. His lips are plump and soft, his trembling hands on my hips holding me firmly. His stubble scratches against my face, heightening my senses as I give into him. We keep the kiss light but it's still enough to have my toes curling in my shoes.
"Softer than I could have imagined." Santiago rasps out when we pull apart.
I smile and blush burying my face into his chest making him chuckle softly.
"Since we'll be here for the next couple of hours, how about we try to get comfortable." Santiago proposes.
"It's a damp cell that survived a fire, how comfortable can we get." I protest.
"By making the best of what we have mami, that's how." Santiago smiles at me kissing my forehead.
He steps away and I watch as he pulls the beddings off both beds, piles the mattresses on top of each other on the bottom bunk and spreads the bed, military style just like Darius used to do. Looks like I'm not the only one who learnt a couple of things from my brother.
"It's not the most hygienic but we can't stand all night." Santiago says plopping himself on top of the bed.
"I am not getting into that bed with you. What's if I catch something?" I protest.
"This places has been abandoned for months. Whatever bacteria was here is already dead." Santiago replies.
"Bacteria doesn't work like that, I'm a nurse I would know. The floor looks cleaner than that bed." I argue.
Instead of arguing with me, Santiago takes my hand and pulls me down so that I land on him.
"Casar!" I scold but the oaf just laughs at me.
"I'll need a chemical shower after this." I cry readjusting myself so that I'm seated in between his legs, my back to his chest.
"Comfortable?" He whispers in my ear, his arms around my stomach just under my breasts.
"As much as I can be in this disease infested cell." I reply though I have to admit being in Cesars arms feels good.
"We are stuck here so we might as well make the best of it." Santiago proposes.
"How?"
"By talking, I believe you owe me a couple of embarrassing childhood stories."
"We agreed you are to take me out on a date first." I tease.
"And I will all in due time, which reminds me. I am up for parole." He informs me.
"What?" I cry out excitedly turning to face him.
"Yeah, your brother recommended me for early release and it was discovered as they were closing out his case. It'll take a few months but I'll be getting out soon." Santiago explains.
I can't believe what I'm hearing since its the best news ever.
"I was willing to wait the two years but this is so much better." I mumble.
"Yes it is and it's all thanks to your brother."
"He was amazing till the end."
"Yes he was."
"So you really are getting out?"
"Yes in a few months. There's lots of paperwork to be filled but yes I'm getting out. Diego doesn't know though, I want to surprise him." Santiago explains.
"Of course but why did you tell me. I would have loved to be surprised too." I tease him.
"I was going to but after today I don't want you coming back here ever again. I'm getting out so there's no reason for you to visit. When you drive out of this place tomorrow, I don't want you to ever come back." Santiago demands.
"After today I never want to come back here. I would have for you but since you'll be free soon I don't see the need." I agree with him.
"Good." Santiago smiles.
I bridge the gap between us and kiss him. Now that I've had a taste of his lips, I never want to stop. We make out a bit, all over the clothes stuff letting all the sexual tension we have built between us over the last couple of months burst free.
We talk well into the night getting interrupted every once in awhile by screams but we are locked safe in here and I have Santiago with me.
The next morning I wake up cuddled in Santiago's arms where I've slept all night. I kept waking up every couple of hours but Santiago was right there to soothe me back to sleep.
"Good morning sunshine." Santiago's deep morning voice greets.
"Good morning." I reply sitting up to yawn and stretch.
The prison is eerie quiet unlike the racket that went on up to the wee hours of the morning.
"Think it's safe out there?" I ask Santiago.
"Only one way to find out." He replies getting out of bed.
He holds his hand out for me and I take it as he helps me get up.
"Sleep well?" He teases as we leave the cell.
"Better than one can expect to in a rioting prison but I accredit that to you." I reply smiling at him.
"My pleasure mami." Santiago grins at me.
When we get to the door, we peep through the glass windows on top of the door but we can't see anything.
"I'll go check it out and see if the coast is clear. You stay here and I'll come back for you if it's safe." Santiago instructs.
"Okay." I nod giving him the key card.
He exits the room and I feel abandoned until he comes back a few minutes later.
"It's all good. The guards are rounding up the last few stragglers. You'll be safe. Do you remember the way we came?" Santiago asks.
"Yes, why?"
"We can't be seen together so you're going to have to go back alone. Don't worry, it's safe. I wouldn't send you out there if it wasn't." He assures me.
"You also need to take off that uniform. It's served purpose." He reminds me.
"Okay, I guess this is goodbye then." I mumble sadly, removing his uniform and giving it back to him.
"No, it's see you later because I will be seeing you later. Expect my call." Santiago replies.
I nod and he surprises me with a kiss. I melt into his embrace and kiss him back knowing this is the last time we'll be physically together for a while.
"Last night isn't how I expected our first night to go but I had fun." Santiago says when we pull apart.
"Me too." I respond with a nod.
He kisses me again before pulling away and peppering my face with kisses making me laugh.
"I'll miss you gorgeous." Santiago whispers hugging me close.
"Likewise." I reply enjoying our last moments together.
"Okay, you head out first. I need to go find Julius." Santiago instructs.
"I hope he's okay." I say recalling the cute kid I met on my first day here.
"If he listened to me then I know that he is." Santiago replies looking sure.
"Okay, see you layer Cesar."
I hate goodbyes but they are necessary.
"Later mami."
Santiago uses the keycard to open the door for me and hands it back to me. I peck him one last time before leaving the cell and just like he said it's clear of crazy inmates now. The place looks bad with blood on the walls, papers, clothes and shoes everywhere but at least it isn't brunt like the cell block we were in.
I make my way back the same way we came to the break room where I find my whole team there looking worried, some pacing around.
"Hannah." Doris who is the first to see me cries out.
"Oh my God Hannah, where have you been?" Dr. Matthew asks.
"Hiding. I hid when the riot started. I must have fallen asleep. I just woke up." I explain.
"We are just glad you're okay Miss. Johnson." Warden McKinley says looking relished relieved.
It probably wouldn't look good if two Johnsons died working in the same prison. I'm just glad they don't bother me with any more questions.
"Me too." I reply.
Just then Finn barges in looking disheveled like he just survived a hurricane. His eyes meet mine and he sighs in relief. We exchange knowing looks before he walks over to his boss to tell him something. I'm given coffee but we have to stay in there for another hour before its okay for us to leave.
As Dr. Matthew drives out of FCI I say goodbye to the place that holds my worst nightmare of losing Darius but also some of my best memories with Santiago.
Definitely never going back in there and since Santiago is being released soon I never have to.
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