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Here is the prequel, which takes place immediately after season 4:

EXT. CTU: PARKING LOT

Michelle grips Tony’s hand as they pull back into the parking lot at CTU. He notices her fighting back tears.

TONY

What’s wrong?

She doesn’t answer, just continues to stare out the window.

Tony looks where she is staring and sees Audrey sitting on the curb waiting to be picked up, tears streaming down her face.

MICHELLE

That was me an hour ago, Tony. I…I thought…

Tony wraps his arms around her protectively.

TONY

Shh…it’s okay. I’m here.

MICHELLE

I wish we could tell her the truth…it seems so unfair…

TONY

I know, sweetheart…I do too. But we can’t…you know we can’t…doing so could put her in danger, and that’s the last thing in the world Jack would want. If he wants to he’ll find a way to contact her…it’s not our place to do it.

MICHELLE

Yeah.

TONY

Hey, do you mind if I go talk to her for a minute before going back inside?

MICHELLE

No, of course not. What should I say if anyone asks where you are?

TONY

Tell them the truth…just say that we went to get coffee and talk for a minute instead of telling them where we really went…just say that I saw Audrey when we came back and wanted to see how she was doing.

MICHELLE

Okay…I’ll see you inside.

TONY

Will you be okay?

MICHELLE

Yeah…I’ll be fine.

He pulls her closer and kisses the top of her head before letting her go.

They get out of the car, and Tony walks over to Audrey and sits down next to her on the curb.

TONY

I’m so sorry, Audrey. I can’t even imagine what you must be feeling right now.

AUDREY

To be honest, I’m not even sure I know. I’m still kind of in shock, I guess…just trying not to think about anything.

TONY

You know you’re going to have to eventually, right?

AUDREY

Yeah, I know.

TONY

Just do me a favor, alright? Promise me you won’t make my mistake. As hard as it is, you can’t focus on everything you lost…you’ve gotta focus on everything you still have. And I know, I’m a total hypocrite for sayi ng that…my life’s a mess and I’m probably a case study in how not to handle a setback.

AUDREY

You’re too hard on yourself, Tony. Anyone would have had a rough time getting back on their feet after going through what you went through.

TONY

Yeah, well, doesn’t mean I’m not an idiot for handling it the way I did. But I guess maybe it was meant to happen this way…when I first saw Michelle walk into CTU today, I was like “why the hell did she have to pick today of all days to become acting director?” But I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason…and you’ve gotta tell yourself that now, as
hard as it may be to believe.

AUDREY

What kind of a reason could there be for all of this?

TONY

I don’t know…I don’t know. But I’ll tell you a little story. Do you follow baseball at all?

AUDREY

A little…why?

TONY

Well, anyone who knows me can tell you I’m a diehard Chicago Cubs fan. And the Cubs haven’t won the pennant since 1945. A year and a half ago, it looked like their best shot since 1989…they were up 3 games to 1 over the Florida Marlins the day I got arrested…the next day was game 6, and Michelle came and brought me a little radio so I could listen, but they told her I could only use a radio that I bought in the commissary. So she tried to deposit money in my account, but they said she had to send it through the mail. She spent some ridiculous amount of money to send money same-day, but by the time they got around to processing it, the commissary was closed for the day. That was the game where the fan caught the ball and gave the Marlins a home
run…do you remember hearing about that?

AUDREY

Yeah, I think so…and then the Cubs lost in the end, right?

TONY

Yeah. When she told me about the game, Michelle insisted that it was meant to be…she said it would have been worse if I had been in prison while the Cubs went to the World Series for the first time in years. At the time, I didn’t buy her logic…I thought I was going to spend most if not all of the rest of my life in jail and I thought it was a conspiracy to make me even more depressed. But now that I’m out, I see what she was saying…who knows, maybe sometime in my lifetime they’ll win the pennant and maybe even the World Series and I’ll be able to watch instead of just listening. Who knows? Maybe by the time it happens I’ll have a job and be able to go see it in person.

AUDREY

You will, Tony…I’ll make sure of it. And you’re going to get your life back together…I know you can do it, and I know you want to do it. You just have to have confidence…you have to believe that you deserve to be happy again.

Tony is about to cut her off, feeling horrible that the conversation has turned to his life when he was trying to make her feel better, but realizes that it’s probably easier for her to talk about his life at the moment than focusing on her own.

TONY

Thanks, Audrey…just don’t forget to follow your own advice. It may take time, but someday you’re going to meet someone who you love who loves you and you can’t hold back because you’re afraid of getting hurt again…you deserve to be happy…g-d only knows you’ve suffered enough. I know you probably don’t believe me, but it will work out in the long run…I promise you.

AUDREY

How can you make a promise like that? You don’t know that…

TONY

You’re right, I don’t. But for the first time in a long time, I believe it.

A Secret Service vehicle pulls up.

TONY

Is that your ride?

AUDREY

Yeah. Thanks so much for everything today, Tony…not just
for saving my life, but for being there.

TONY

Yeah, well, you were there for me too. Here’s my number…actually, it’s Michelle’s…I don’t currently have a cell phone…but you can call that number anytime if you want to talk…she’ll be able to get a hold of me.

AUDREY

Alright, I will. Take care of yourself, Tony.

TONY

You too.

He gives her a hug before she gets into the car.

FADE OUT.