Burn Notice (TV Series)

Long Way Back (2009)

Jeffrey Donovan: Michael Westen

Photos 

Quotes 

• [first lines] 

  Michael Westen : [narrative]  When you work as a covert operative, there's no line between who you are and what you do. You are who you need to be for the operation. It makes you effective, it keeps things simple. But when you spend so much time living as someone else, sometimes the people you care about most begin to wonder who you really are.

• Michael Westen : [narration]  Bomb makers, like master chefs, tend to have a signature dish. If you can duplicate it, you can leave their fingerprint wherever you want. Some bombs are designed to remove an obstacle, some bombs are designed to be loud and scary, while other bombs are just designed to kill and maim.

• [last lines] 

  Michael Westen : [narrating]  When you realize that an operation is compromised, that you're enemies are on the move, you're on a clock. You have to move as fast as you can to try to contain the damage and harden your defenses before it's too late. Sometimes you make it in time... and sometimes you don't. When you work in intelligence, the worst feeling in the world is knowing nothing - being caught up in something you don't begin to understand - because it's not the enemy you *see* that gets you, it's the one you *don't*.

• [after Fiona's been kidnapped and Michael realizes Strickler's behind it, Michael walks into Strickler's home] 

  Michael Westen : [Strickler's on the phone, but Michael yells anyway]  Where's Fiona?

  [Strickler holds up his hand like he'll be with Michael in a minute, so Michael pushes over Strickler's glass display cases] 

  Michael Westen : [screams]  YOU TELL ME WHERE FIONA IS NOW!

  Tom Strickler : [to whomever he's on the phone with]  I'll call you back.

  Tom Strickler : [ends call, then, to Michael]  Now how would I know that?

  Michael Westen : Thomas O'Neill stopped one of his men from executing me! It sounded like he made a deal with someone to keep me alive: I thought of you!

  Tom Strickler : Bravo. Put that all together yourself, did 'ya? No point in denying it; you would've figured it out eventually.

  Michael Westen : You sent Fiona to her death.

  Tom Strickler : I sent her home, like she wanted. What happens to her after she gets there? Well... she's a big girl.

  Michael Westen : Strickler, you have no i...

  Tom Strickler : Hey! I did this the cleanest way possible! Sure, the brother got clipped, but you were spared. I'm your goddamn white knight, Michael.

  Michael Westen : [going towards Strickler]  You tell me where...

  Tom Strickler : [draws his gun and points it at Michael]  Hey! Hey! Get back! Get the hell back, right now!

  Tom Strickler : [as Michael backs up]  I'm getting a little sick of your ingratitude. I'm the one trying to help you out! You wanted back in? Well guess what: a gun-dealing, bomb-making girlfriend wasn't helping your case. She had to go! And it was clear you were too attached to do what needed to be done so, like a good partner, I did it for you.

  [Strickler pulls the keys from a door] 

  Michael Westen : What the hell are you doing?

  Tom Strickler : [hits a button on his phone]  You're staying put for the next hour. By then, the cargo company I hired will have Miss Glenanne and her fan club in international waters, heroic rescue attempts will be impossible, and you can *move on* knowing there wasn't a damn thing you could do. *I'll* be the bad guy. You're welcome.

  Michael Westen : Tell me where she is.

  [Strickler shakes his head no] 

  Michael Westen : Get outta my way.

  Tom Strickler : [yelling]  You don't get to have the girl *and* the job! She doesn't fit into your future - *our* future - so why don't you do yourself a favor and just forget the past!

  [a beat passes] 

  Michael Westen : Fiona is not my past.

  [Michael pulls out his gun and kills Strickler with two quick shots, first below his ribs, second to his heart] 

• Michael Westen : [narrating]  There's a reason spies try to stay detached: when you get emotional about something...

  Michael Westen : [tucking to his back under his waistband]  even if it's just your ex-girlfriends .45-caliber handgun - you get distracted...

  Michael Westen : [using key to enter Fiona's place]  ... and getting distracted...

  Michael Westen : [finds Fiona pointing a gun at him]  ... can be very, very dangerous.

  Fiona Glenanne : [lowers gun, indicates with head]  You remember my brother Sean?

  Fiona Glenanne : [in kitchen, Sean holds a gun on Michael]  You met back in Ireland?

  ["Sean Glenanne" / "Fiona's brother"] 

  Sean Glenanne : [lowers gun slowly, Irish accent]  Michael McBride. It's been awhile. Last I saw you, you were savin' my sister from those English bastards had her pinned down in Belfast.

  Michael Westen : [narrating]  Spies need to remember every cover ID they've ever worn because you never know when you might need to put one back on.

  Michael Westen : [aloud, with Irish accent]  'Keah, it was a good thing they was such lousy shots, otherwise Fiona and I'd have been sayin' our last Hail Mary's together.

  Sean Glenanne : [tucks gun away]  Glad you're here. We could use another man who can shoot a gun.

  Michael Westen : Why's that?

  Sean Glenanne : It's bad news, McBride. Someone's comin' to kill my sister.

  [Fiona and Michael share a look. Title card] 

• Michael Westen : Hey Fi.

  Fiona Glenanne : [wakes]  Hey.

  Michael Westen : Hi.

  Fiona Glenanne : I wanted to, um... I wanted to...

  Michael Westen : Don't.

  Michael Westen : [cups her cheek]  It's OK. We're no good at this.

• Fiona Glenanne : Michael?

  Michael Westen : Yeah?

  Fiona Glenanne : Have you seen my H&K USP Compact? The one with the silver slide? I need to finish packing and I think I must've left it here.

  Michael Westen : Yeah. I, um...

  Michael Westen : [rests hand upon it on his desk]  ... I think I saw it around here somewhere. I'll find it and I'll bring it to you, okay? You're not leaving today, are you?

  Fiona Glenanne : No.

  [Fiona goes out the door. Michael picks up the gun with gentleness and holds it] 

• Sean Glenanne : You can't just walk right up to him. I mean as soon as you open your mouth and he hears you're Irish...

  Michael Westen : [in an Irish accent]  I'll approach him as an American, with a deal.

  Sean Glenanne : Really. Sure you can pull that off?

  Michael Westen : [in his normal American accent]  I've gone undercover as an American before. I'll be fine.

  Sean Glenanne : Dunno. Your accent's a bit... dodgy.

• Fiona Glenanne : I can't believe in a few days I'm gonna wake up back home.

  Michael Westen : And you'll be you again, Fi.

  Fiona Glenanne : I wonder what it'll be like.

  Michael Westen : You'll have your friends there and your family.

  Fiona Glenanne : They don't know me anymore.

  Michael Westen : You're still the same person.

  Fiona Glenanne : No, I'm not. Who I am now has so much to do with what I've done here, what I've done with you.

  Michael Westen : [looks at Fiona lovingly and whispers]  Fi... I...

  Fiona Glenanne : It's OK, Michael. We're so not good at this.

• Madeline Westen : [answering the door]  Hi! You here about the house?

  Tom Strickler : [walking in]  No, I'm here about your son. Can Michael come out and play?

  Michael Westen : [fake cheeriness]  What the hell are you doing here?

  Tom Strickler : Exactly what I said I would do: delivering your study materials.

• Sam Axe : Just sayin', Mike. It's okay if your head is spinning. First it's your girl, then it's your childhood home.

  Michael Westen : I never liked that house.

  Sam Axe : Yeah, but you like Fiona, right?

• Michael Westen : Where's Fiona?

  [Tom holds up his index finger as he's on the phone] 

  Michael Westen : [Knocking over cabinets]  You tell me where Fiona is now!

  Tom Strickler : I'll call you back. Now how would I know that?

  Michael Westen : Thomas O'Neill stopped one of his men from executing me. It sounded like he made a deal with someone to keep me alive. I thought of you!

  Tom Strickler : Bravo, put that all together yourself, did you? No point in denying it, you'd have figured it out eventually.

  Michael Westen : You sent Fiona to her death.

  Tom Strickler : I sent her home. Like she wanted. What happens after she gets there, well, she's a big girl.

  Michael Westen : Strickler, you have no idea...

  Tom Strickler : Hey, I did this the cleanest way possible! Sure, the brother got clipped, but you were spared! I'm your damn white knight, Michael!

  Michael Westen : You tell me wh...

  Tom Strickler : [Pulls gun]  Hey! Hey! Get back. Get the hell back! Right now. I'm getting a little sick of your ingratitude. I'm the one trying to help you out.

  Tom Strickler : You wanted back in. Well guess what, a gun dealing, bomb making girlfriend wasn't helping your case. She had to go.

  Tom Strickler : And it was clear you were too attached to do what needed to be done. So like a good partner, I did it for you.

  Michael Westen : [Tom Locks door]  What the hell are you doing?

  Tom Strickler : You're staying put for the next hour. By then, the cargo company I hired will have Ms. Glennane and her fan club in international waters. Heroic rescue attempts will be impossible, and you can move on, knowing there wasn't a damn thing you could do. I'll be the bad guy. You're welcome.

  Michael Westen : Tell me where she is.

  [Tom shakes his head no] 

  Michael Westen : Get out of my way.

  Tom Strickler : You don't get to have the girl and the job! She doesn't fit into your future, our future. So why don't you do yourself a favor, and just forget the past.

  Michael Westen : Fiona is not my past.

  [Shoots Tom] 

• Fiona Glenanne : You're too worried about your own future for there to be one for us.

  Michael Westen : I'm not doing this for me! Fiona, I'm out in the cold, and the longer I stay there the more I endanger everyone in my life!

  Fiona Glenanne : [yelling]  Don't you pretend this is about us, it's about you! Which is fine. It's- it's just time I- I did what I need to do, too.

• Sean Glenanne : So, it's "Westen" now, is it?

  Michael Westen : It has been for a while. I owe you an explanation. Uh...

  Sean Glenanne : Back in Ireland, there were a lot of questions about whether or not you were one of us. I always thought you were. Now I know I was right.