A/N: Well, this is my first foray into 24 fic and I'm a little nervous. The story's Renee-centric, which of course means that Jack will work his way in as well. It jumps around a bit with the timeline with a little Day 7 as well as Pre-Day 7 and Pre-Day 8, but it's generally going to be a Day 8 with a twist kind of deal. Also, I have an OC, which concerns me because sometimes I drift too much into the OC's perspective out of fear that I won't be able to capture Renee or Jack's voice, so if I do that too much feel free to yell at me (nicely) in reviews.
Disclaimer: I don't own 24 or the characters. I'm just having fun with them.
May 2014
She heard sounds first: distant voices she couldn't make out, the sound of the wheels on a cart, and a steady rhythmic beep. It took her a moment, but she realized that the monotonous tone matched the cadence of a heartbeat – her heartbeat. Gradually, things began to focus and she realized that the sounds she was hearing were those of a hospital. She realized that she hurt – not a stabbing or piercing pain, but the general ache of injuries numbed by painkillers.
"Zoe?"
She must have managed to move something to indicate she was awake and she opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the fluorescent light. Her eyes zeroed in on the face of her fiancé.
"Hey beautiful," he said softly.
"Carson," she croaked out; suddenly aware of how dry her throat was.
"Wait," he reached for a Styrofoam cup next to the bed and pulled out an ice chip. He held it up to her and she nodded slightly, so he slipped it between her lips. "That help?"
"Yeah," she said as the chips began melting in her mouth. "What happened?"
"You needed surgery."
She still couldn't remember. "Why?"
"You were shot."
"I was?"
"Twice," he said and she could hear his voice shaking slightly as he continued, "In the leg and in the stomach."
Zoe searched her memory for anything that related to this, but came up with nothing. It was hazy, but she remembered CTU, the terrorist threat, and a lead about the Russian involvement. "Cars, what happened?"
"You were taken – they wouldn't give me details."
"Taken?" she repeated. Suddenly, memories of a car accident and an old warehouse came rushing back to her and she felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Zoe?" Carson's voice interrupted her thoughts and she realized that her racing heart was reflected by the now erratic beep on the monitor. "What's wrong?"
"How did I get away?" she asked as a nurse rushed into the room followed by an intern.
"That guy – Bauer." He stepped back to let the doctor next stand closer to the hospital bed. "He got you out."
"Jack?" she repeated softly as it hit her. "Renee. She was with me. What happened to her?"
May 2009 – 3years, 10 Months before Day 7
Renee walked into the Lerner Health and Wellness Center and was surprised by the memories that hit her. She hadn't been on GW's Campus since her five year reunion and it occurred to her that her ten year reunion was fast approaching. At the last reunion, she had been eager to catch up with her friends, but this time she was unsure. She hadn't spoken with any of them for the past two years and she had no way of explaining why she pretty much disappeared for 16 months.
Glancing at the undergrads milling about around her, Renee thought of her early morning workouts and how she practically had to drag her roommate along with her. She smiled briefly at the memory and then shook her head, finding it hard to believe that after everything that was where her mind drifted. Honestly, she still could believe that she agreed to do this.
*Three Weeks Earlier*
"You wanted to see me?" Renee asked as she popped her head into Larry's office. It was the end of her first week back in the DC Field Office following the mandated month of leave she had been granted after her undercover assignment
"Yeah, close the door."
Renee turned around to close the door and rolled her eyes in the process. Larry had been her primary contact the entire time she was undercover, so he was the only person with an idea of the extent of what Vladimir did and even Larry didn't know the full story. Since her return had had been a great friend and supportive without being overbearing, but now she was preparing herself for the dreaded 'don't overdue it on your first week back' speech.
Smiling a casual smile she sat down in the chair opposite his desk and asked, "What's up?"
"This." He handed her a file. "Here."
So it wasn't a lecture, she thought as she opened the file. Taking a few seconds to scan it, she realized it was worse. He was coddling her. "You want me to do this? It's a speaking engagement."
"It's a day-long retreat for at-risk junior high girls promoting good character and leadership skills."
"I'm not saying it isn't a good cause, Larry. I just think you can find someone else to do it."
"It's being organized by a student at GW and no one else in the office went there."
"She didn't request an alum."
"I think you should do it."
She sighed in annoyance before continuing, "Look, Larry, I know I can't go back into the field until I complete my final appointment with the shrink, but it doesn't mean I need to do fluffy assignments that are the equivalent of PR crap for the Bureau. I'm more than capable of doing my real job."
"I know you can handle your work, Renee, but the student organizing this requested a female agent who would be a role model for the girls – you were the first person who came to mind."
Her expression softened slightly, but she refused to give in completely. "And that's the only reason?"
"And I think it would be good for you," he admitted. "Help get everything back to normal."
The sincerity in his voice told her that he wasn't babying her beyond normal concern, but she still fought him based on principle. Larry wasn't her technical supervisor, but he did have seniority over her so she asked, "Are you ordering me to do this?"
"It's on a Saturday, so it's entirely voluntary."
"Okay," she said with a nod. "I'll do it."
"Good – the contact information's in the back," he said as she stood up. "I told her you'd email her by the end of the day."
"Wait, you told her I already agreed? What if I said no?"
"I knew you would." He leaned back in his chair and she rolled her eyes before turning to leave. "Hey, are you still coming out for drinks after work?"
She paused; her hand on the doorknob. "Don't you have to wife to go home to?"
"It's your first week back – people want to celebrate that you survived your assignment at the Portland Field Office."
She chuckled at that one. "I still don't understand why it had to be Portland."
"We needed people to think you were somewhere no one wanted to visit."
"I've been to Portland before – it's not that bad. You should have told them Omaha."
"It had to be believable and no one would believe that Renee Walker would spend a year and a half surrounded by corn."
Renee's thoughts were interrupted by a college student whose dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. "Hi, you must be Agent Walker," she greeted. "I'm so glad you could make it."
"I'm happy too." Renee assumed this was the girl with whom she had been emailing. "Are you Zoe Lessaris?"
"Zoh," she corrected the pronunciation, limiting it to a single syllable. "It's short for Zofia, but I added the 'e' because I got sick of spell check never recognizing it," she explained in a rush. "It's nice to meet you, Agent Walker."
"Same, and call me Renee."
"Sure thing," she said with a smile. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll explain the schedule for today."
As Zoe explained the day's events, Renee couldn't help but study her. Other than exchanging a few emails, they never met and, yet, the girl and her mannerisms seemed familiar. Renee shook it off, deciding that any familiarity she sensed was the result of being back on at her alma mater and the hyperawareness she couldn't seem to shake after being undercover for so long.
A/N: So, what did you think? Good? Bad? Has potential? Should I drop the idea? Honestly, tell me. I'm going to try and get the next chapter up by the end of the week if I can. :)