Title: Meeting Mick
Author: Lady Taevyn
Rating: G
Summary: Jack and Chloe take a road trip to meet an old friend of Jack's.
Disclaimer: 24 and its related characters aren't mine. Don't sue.
A/N: From Scoob's prompt: Jack takes Chloe to the firing range.
"Jack where in the hell are you taking me at this ungodly hour of the morning on one of our only days off?" Chloe asked, not for the first time since they had gotten in the SUV.
"It's a surprise Chloe, I know you don't like them but you'll have to deal. Close your eyes and get some more sleep, it's going to be a little while before we get there." Jack responded with a smile in his voice.
"Well can we at least stop for coffee before we leave the city?" Chloe asked sleep heavy in her voice.
"There's a McDonalds not too far from where we are going, we'll stop there and get breakfast. Will that be ok?" Jack said mind already on the drive ahead.
"Mmmmhhhmmm." Chloe mumbled already drifting back into dreamland.
The gun range they were going to was an hour and a half outside the city, but Jack was good friends with the owner/operator, and really wanted to show Chloe off to him. As they drove up the 110 Jack stole small glimpses at Chloe, she was so trusting of him, enough to let him bundle her into the car at five o'clock in the morning on a Saturday and promptly fall asleep. He had never taken Teri to the range so this was a big deal for him. Slowing down to come off the highway woke Chloe enough so that when they pulled into the parking lot of the fast food place she could walk in of her own power. As soon as they sat down with the tray between them she started in on the 20 questions. Jack refused to answer any of them saying only that she would see when they got there.
"Chloe we're here, you can open your eyes now." Jack said, having asked her to close them as they came up to the intersection where the range was located.
"This better be a damn good surprise Jack Bauer, or you can plan to sleep on the couch for the next two weeks." Chloe replied only half meaning it; she'd never be able to go two weeks with out sex. Upon entering the non-descript, steel frame building Jack had taken on a look of almost reverence. This place was special to him Chloe could tell. Walking up to the counter Jack rang the bell knowing Mick wouldn't be too far away.
"Hey Jack, long time no see, how ya been?" The boisterous older man asked coming out from behind the counter to fold Jack in a bear hug.
"Good, I've been busy lately, but good. Mick, I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend Chloe." He placed his hand reassuringly on the small of her back and cajoled her in front of him. When Mick finally set her back on the ground he quickly sized her up.
"She got a permit Jack, cause you know my rules. No permit no back room." Mick said as he walked over to a door not far from the counter. The pair followed him Jack eagerly, Chloe a bit slower and more skeptically.
"Yes Mick, she has a permit, she even knows which end of the gun the bullets come out of. I wouldn't have brought her here otherwise." Jack replied sharing some inside joke at what Chloe felt was her expense. She had only taken enough weapons training to get a carrying permit, and that had been several years ago. She was a computer analyst for god's sake, not a field operative. As they came up to the firing line Chloe noticed that all but two of the spots were taken. She realized then that Jack had planned this out in some detail. Placing the ear protection on her head Chloe understood that she was seeing one more level of this complex man. She stood behind Jack for the first few rounds, just watching him. He was completely in his element, almost at peace she thought.
Two and a half hours later they came off the line more targets between them then Chloe had ever seen. She hadn't done too bad really, she was very proud of herself. As they climbed back into the SUV Chloe turned in her seat and smiled warmly at Jack. She understood then that her coming to the range and meeting Mick, and subsequently getting his approval, were all huge steps in their relationship.
"Thank you, Jack." She said quietly taking his hand as they pulled out of the parking lot. Twenty minutes later found them pulling off the road again, this time into a strip mall, with a Circuit City at one end.
End