Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to NBC and Dick Wolf.
A/N: A Jack/Abbie one-shot. Post Refuge (warning-slight spoliers) Please review. Thanks. Love, Lawabidingchild.
Beneath the Surface
If there was something that the tough-as-nails Carmichael would never do. Crying was never one of her favorite activities. She always tried to hide it (and she did it very well). This case maybe exposed her softer side a little too much.
When she came back from the mailbox, she stumbled back into Jack's office. "Hey," she whispered. "You still here?"
"Waiting for you," he said. "You okay?"
"Fine," she said.
"No you're not," said Jack as if he knew everything. Abbie rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe he could read her like an open book. Despite what she thought about his thoughts, he was right.
"How do you do that?" she asked him.
"How do I do what?" asked Jack, answering her question.
"You can read me like a book," said Abbie.
"Yep," said Jack. He patted the space next to him. She obeyed his call. She sat next to him. "You seem particularly upset over this. Now, tell me, are you really okay?"
Suddenly, she wasn't so sure. She felt tears resurface themselves into the wells of her eyes. Placed her head in her hands. What surprised her was a hand making soothing circles on her back. She leaned into the source of the comfort. Jack.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so frightened. There was nothing that could compare to the feelings of hatred that she felt towards anyone else because of what they did. She hated those men and was frightened that they had accomplices who might finish the job. She was terrified that she lost her best friend and she might lose another.
She didn't want Jack to suddenly turn up dead because of what happened to Ricci. She kissed his cheek. It wasn't one of those silly little pecks. It was a showing of love. She lingered there for a moment before pulling back to look her in the face.
Instead of pulling back and looking her in the eye with a confused look, he bent down and kissed her again. It was slow, lingering, and very sweet. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.
When she fell into his arms, the tears came pouring out. She could stop them even if she wanted to. "Now I understand why," said Jack. He understood that there was a soft interior beneath the surface.
