"Happy Birthday, Jack."

Britney smiled and hugged her boyfriend. She was slim, attractive, with blonde hair. Her companion was a tough, good looking male. They were walking arm in arm in the neighborhood park. Britney Morgan had been seeing Jack Bauer for three months. Today was his seventeenth birthday, and she had something special planned for him.

"Thanks Brit, but where are we going?"

She giggled and didn't answer. Jack looked over his shoulder, as he had been doing all evening. Britney noticed it and frowned. "Are you still worried about them?"

Jack shook his head and said nothing. They were in a secluded corner of the park now, and he could barely make out the shape of a large basket and a mat. He looked sideways at her, and she smiled. "Today's special! You don't turn seventeen everyday!"

They sat down, cross legged, opposite each other and Britney opened the basket. Jack smiled. It had been a long time since he had had such an open relation with someone. She was halfway through unpacking the food, when they heard raucous jeering and laughing.

Jack stood up instinctively, and moved in front of Britney. His body stiffened, and his fists were clenched. Three figures came into view. Three young men, twenty two years old, each, with hard faces, wearing pirate jewelry and bandanas. One of them called out, "Hey Jackie, how's the birthday party with the whore going?"

"Ignore them," Britney whispered in his ear. She addressed the man who had spoken. "Why don't you give it a break Danny? Just leave us alone!"

"Hear that, boys? The slut wants us to leave them alone. You know what, I don't think we will. Not before a little bit of fun."

Two of them grabbed Jack before he could react, and shoved him against a nearby tree. One of them took out a length of rope, and together they tied him to the tree. The man named Danny was moving towards Britney, smiling. "Hello, slut." She screamed, and tried to run, but Danny caught her waist, and threw her on the ground. Jack was struggling against his bonds, while the other two men were watching with fascination.

Britney screamed again, but Danny pushed his lips onto her mouth, and pinned her arms by her sides. He began moaning, and the other two moved closer. Britney's eyes filled with tears, "Please… don't…"

Suddenly, the man nearest to the tree shrieked, and collapsed. Jack was standing over him. His arms and wrists bleeding, fire in his eyes. He smashed his fist into the man's head and left him unconcious. He then headed for the second grunt. With a savage roundhouse kick to the stomach and a blow to the throat, he was down too.

Jack moved towards Danny, and ripped him off Britney. He then punched him across the face, while dodging a savage blow to himself. Danny struck him across the chest, and he gasped. He grabbed Danny's arm and twisted it. There was a snap, and he older man howled. Jack then elbowed him in the nose, causing blood to spurt out, and kicked him in the groin. He then stood over the motionless figure, and paused. He then viciously stamped on his throat, causing his jugular vein to rupture. Blood oozed out of his mouth.

Jack ran over to Britney and pulled her into a tight embrace. She was crying into his shoulder. "Shh. Its okay. Its over. Its over. No one's going to hurt you."

"He-he was-" she stuttered. "I know what he was going to do, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He clasped her tightly, and they remained, kneeling, hugging each other in the middle of the park for a few minutes.

Then, they slowly got to their feet unsteadily, and broke apart. Jack wiped away Britney's tears, and kissed her. They stood there fiercely kissing each other, and then she said," You need to get those cuts looked at."

"I'm fine. But we need to get you to a hospital. And I did some pretty terrible things to those guys, so im going to have to call the police."

She glanced at the three motionless figures, and said, What will they do?"

"It was self defense." He left it at that.

"I'm going to drive you to the hospital to get you checked up, but I'm going to make a phone call first, okay?"

He took a cell phone from his jacket pocket and flipped it open. He dialed 911. "911 Emergency Response."

"I was involved in a self defense killing, I need to speak to Sergeant Powell.

"Who shall I say is calling, sir?"

He glanced at Britney, at the smile that was breaking out on her face, and realized that she was going to be okay.

"Jack Bauer."