Chapter Text
Jonathan sat behind the table in the visitation room, waiting for his brother. This was a familiar sensation, yet very different. This time, he was there as the visitor, not the prisoner. It had been 3 weeks since he went off with MW, who had told him her name, but he didn't care; she was always going to be MW to him, the woman that framed him for murder.
2 days ago, he finally got his hands on the security footage. He was so excited and wanted to tell his brother and the team right away that he rushed back to the city…. Where he found out that Cameron was still in prison—as him. Jonathan was confused. When he knocked his brother out, in this very room, he was so sure that Cameron would get himself out by the next day…..but he hadn't, why?
Jonathan was so deep in thought that he was startled when the guard closed the door behind Cameron. Cameron didn't walk to the table; he just stood where he was and glared at Jonathan.
Jonathan watched the man in front of him. The man stared at him without a trace of smile, with slightly lowered eyebrows. This wasn't his brother…. His brother was a cheery, positive man who could brighten up the world with his smile; Cameron always had this energy around him, like an aura; whoever walked in it would feel positive instantly. Jonathan knew this sounded stupid, but he could always count on his brother to cheer him up. Whatever that energy was, it was gone. Its effects were so powerful, that if it weren't for the resemblance, Jonathan couldn't recognize his brother.
- "What do you want Jonathan?", asked Cameron blankly.
Jonathan? He couldn't remember the last time Cameron called him Jonathan. He must be really angry. Suddenly, a wave of guilt came over him. He was so excited about having found the footage that he had forgotten to consider how Cameron would be feeling. I betrayed him after all.
- "What do you want?" Cameron repeated as he sat down.
-"Cam…… I've found the security footage. And I left the FBI an anonymous tip about where MW was. They got her, it's over."
- "Good for you."
Still no emotions. What was wrong with him?
- "Cameron, this is good news; we're free of her."
- "Yeah I got that."
Jonathan was beginning to get angry, it was like he was talking to a robot.
- "Why are you still in prison?"
- "Did you mean to leave me somewhere else?"
Jonathan was shocked. Cameron was usually more straightforward, this was so unlike him, he was obviously angry, but his expression showed absolutely nothing.
- "Come on Cam. I'm really sorry about what I did to you. Ultimately, I was trying to protect you. I will explain and apologize later… right now, just tell me why you're not outta here?"
- "I didn't need you to protect me."
Jonathan didn't know how to respond to that, so he voiced what was bothering him: "I thought you would call your FBI friends and tell them who you are, why haven't you?"
Cameron ignored that question: "Has anybody seen you since you came back?"
Jonathan tried to calm himself: "No, I came straight here."
- "How nice of you. So here's what we're going to do: You're gonna go back to the archive and take what we need to switch back. You're not gonna let anybody see you because they may find out who you are. We're switching back tomorrow morning. Then I'll give Kay the footage and get you out properly."
Jonathan was still so shaken over the fact that his brother looked so emotionless that it took him a second to respond: "Why can't others know who I am?"
Cameron gave him a knowing glare, as if it was the simplest thing: "The team and the FBI must not find out about the switch."
- "But why?"
Cameron looked annoyed: "Were you under the impression that knocking your brother out and leaving him in prison in your lieu was legal?"
Again a rush of guilt. But the confusion was stronger; he asked: "What about the team?"
Cameron sighed: "Look man, I'm not trying to flatter myself but they won't be pleased with what you did. Let's not tear the group apart."
Jonathan was at odds. He really wanted to exonerate himself; then again, he needed to get his brother out as soon as possible.
- "Why are we overcomplicating everything Cam? When I give Kay the evidence, I can tell her about you, and she'll get you out."
- "Oh"
Oh. That was such a simple word; no it wasn't even a word. But somehow it sent a chill down Jonathan's spine. For the first time in their lives, Jonathan couldn't read Cameron's feelings.
- "What do you mean by that?"
Cameron didn't respond.
- "What is it Cam?"
- "Nothing."
Nothing. A perfect word to describe how much Jonathan understood about this situation, about his brother right then.
- "It's something, I can tell."
- "I just forgot." As Cameron said this, his eyebrows slightly lowered. Finally, a reaction!
- "Forgot what?"
Cameron's face was completely void of emotions; his eyes on the other hand….. his eyes revealed such sadness that made Jonathan uneasy. Even this look disappeared in a few seconds. Cameron regained his firm look.
- "I forgot that you didn't trust me."
Jonathan was absolutely dumfounded; he couldn't register anything for several moments. By the time he opened his mouth to reassure his brother, it was too late.
- "Visitation time is over Black. Let's go."
Cameron stood up and turned to the door. Jonathan was desperate, he had to do something: "Alright I'll do as you said."
Cameron didn’t turn to face him. He just said "Tomorrow morning" as he walked out.
……………………………………………….
Jonathan found himself in his favorite coffee shop. He was barely aware of how he had gotten himself there because all he could think about was the visit in jail. He had expected Cameron to be mad, to yell at him and even hit him.
Cameron had mastered masking his emotions, he had to in order to perform on stage. He couldn't show fear or uncertainty. Cameron had taken his time to acquire this skill though, which was normal because he had always been so straight forward with his feelings. Still, after all these years, he couldn't hide his feelings around Jonathan. He would sulk, yell, or comically hit him. Nevertheless, the display of anger never lasted long, Cameron would always forgive him in a matter minutes.
What Jonathan had seen that day was not natural. Just thinking about his brother's blank expression gave him goose bumps. What was he gonna do? How could he get Cameron back to his old self?
At least Cameron hadn't totally given up on him, he cared enough not to let Jonathan get in trouble. Cameron was right. If Jonathan told the team, they might never forgive him. This way, they'll just believe that Cameron left for a while and came back with the footage. However…………… Jonathan had left with no warning. He didn't answer the team's calls: they must have gotten worried. And the day that he left……… he said some harsh things to Kay. Jonathan was pretty sure his brother cared about this Kay…….so…. if they proceeded with the switch tomorrow, she or the team wouldn't know that it hadn't been Cameron…….. he would be blamed for things he never did.
Jonathan made up his mind, he couldn't let his brother get caught in the crossfire.
………………………………………
Jonathan was in his room in the archive when he heard voices.
- "Kay? What are you doing here?, asked Dina.
- "Cameron texted me with this time and place."
- "He texted us too", said Jordan excitedly.
- "I wonder what he has been up to". Kay sounded hurt. This made Jonathan even more determined to proceed.
- "Are you here? Cameron?". Dina called.
Jonathan summoned the courage, took a deep breath and walked out. He watched the sequence of expressions on his friends' faces, from relief to anger, to confusion. Even Kay could tell that something wasn't right. Dina held his gaze with suspicion, then she voiced what she and the other two men were thinking: "Not Cameron"
Jonathan gave them a weak smile. He hated the calm before a storm.
- "Before you start yelling at me, let me explain."
Kay did not comply: "Where is Cameron?"
Now that Jonathan paid more attention to her, she seemed like something important had dawned on her.
- "He's in prison."
- "What!?"
- "What!?"
- "What have you done?"
- "Please let me finish. I'm not proud of what I did. 3 weeks ago, when Cameron visited me……. I…….. I……. knocked him out……. And I switched places with him."
He received angry, disappointed and disgusted expressions. Cameron had been right; it was awful to have his friends look at him like that. In spite of that, he continued: "I went off with MW, and I finally got the security footage I needed….."
Kay interrupted him: "So when I was here…….". She hesitated.
Jonathan knew what she meant: "It was me. You talked to me. Cameron didn't do anything wrong. Don't be mad at him."
As he watched their expressions, he just knew that a storm was coming.
They yelled at him, criticized him, and asked way too many questions. Jonathan sat through it all patiently; he deserved everything they said about him.
- "I can't believe we were in the dark about all of this!"
Jonathan was a little annoyed: "I still don't know why Cameron didn't tell you, but if even one of you had gone to prison to visit me, you would have found out."
- "We tried that Mr. sensitive". Gunter mocked him.
Dina clarified: "We called several times. Every time you…….. he said that he didn't want to see anyone, that he wouldn't accept any visitations."
Jonathan didn't have anything to add about that so he changed the subject: "Guys would you mind not telling anyone about this situation until I tell Cameron?...... Agent Daniels…… would you mind?"
Kay nodded. She still seemed irritated.
Since there weren't any protests, Jonathan dialed. It took Cameron a few minutes to come to the phone?
- "Yes?"
- "Hey Cam."
- "What do you need Jonathan?"
Jonathan hated hearing his full name from his brother, he was never getting used to it.
- "Well…… I kind of told the team everything. You're on speakerphone now."
Cameron sighed.
- "Cameron, darling…. Are you ok?", asked Dina.
- "Hey Dina, I'm fine. Don't worry…………JONATHAN?"
- "Yeah?"
- "Take me off speakerphone. NOW!"
Jonathan complied, he didn't even think about doing otherwise because Cameron sounded really serious.
- "I thought we had a deal."
Jonathan could almost hear the sheer amount of disappointment. He moved away from his friends so that he could have a private conversation.
- "I'm sorry Cam."
- "I'm sure you are". Wow. Since when did Cameron resort to petty sarcasm?
- "Hear me out man. I know you had other plans, but I couldn't let you be blamed for what I did. I ignored our friends for weeks….. and I said some harsh things to you friend Kay….. I know you value your relationship with her, so……"
- "Kay….. is Kay there?"
Was Jonathan imagining things? Or did Cameron's voice slightly soften when he talked to or about other people?
- "Put her on."
Jonathan handed Kay the phone. She moved out of the earshot; therefore, Jonathan settled for watching her expressions. Worry, relief, anger…. What was Cameron telling her?
When she hung up, she handed Jonathan the phone back.
- "You and Cameron are switching tomorrow. We are not going to tell anyone what you did; we are just going to exonerate you."
Everyone was puzzled at that comment. The switch wasn't the problem. Jonathan couldn't understand why Kay had agreed to stay silent, she was an FBI agent, it was her job to tell the truth. He voiced his thoughts.
- "Cameron asked me not to say anything.". Kay shrugged.
- "Obviously. I don't understand why you would agree to help me though."
- "Cameron convinced me."
- "How?"
- "Ask him yourself."
Jonathan intended to do just so.
……………………………………