The story begins at season 6 episode 9 whilst Jack is driving Marilyn to find Gredenko's house.

Memories Part 1

They were sat in the car; he felt he could cut the tension with a knife, even more so after she had answered her phone. They was still an uncomfortable between them after all that time; which was making Jack feel like he shouldn't be there, or as if he were looking upon something private, even though it was just the two of them in the car.

She was looking out of the window staring at the houses they were passing. Jack tried to decipher the expression on her face, but all he could see was an half of her face, and that was etched with worry. He tried to concentrate instead on the road ahead, he looked into the rear-view mirror he could see the TAC team van following them. He was still surprised that Marilyn had never brought up the thing which always seemed like a white elephants in the room. He had never brought it up either. Neither one of them could say it. They never tried, they avoided it; at all costs. They had both just known.

His mind wandered back to how this had all first started. Graem and Marilyn had invited him, Teri, and Kim around for an evening meal. He and Graem never were close, and never got along well, but Graem got along well with Teri; mind you there wasn't many people Teri didn't get along well with. After Kim was born Graem and his Dad wanted them around more. Not particularly him, but them. He usually tried to back out of having to go to these 'meetings,' but he knew this one he needed to go to. He and Teri had started fighting recently. For a number of years now Jack hadn't gone on any long undercover missions, he'd been on a few short ones, but none that were going to take the length of the one he was planning for. He hadn't wanted to go on any long term missions because he wanted to spend his time with his young daughter, but she was 8 now and Jack felt more ready. She could handle it better and so could he. He wanted it, he almost felt like he needed it. Teri had gotten used to him being around more, coming home at a certain time, and being really close with her. She was struggling with Jack. The way he wasn't coming home at night, the way he was hardly at the house, the way Kim wanted to know where her Daddy was all the time, the way he said he would be home at a certain point and never showed or was drastically late. It was frustrating her to her limits; she was a patient woman, Jack knew, he also knew it would take her time to get into such a mumbled routine. Teri argued that he was distant from her and he never wanted to talk about anything with her. He just couldn't seem to fix it and it wasn't just blowing over like he thought it would. It was beginning to frustrate him, his wasn't an easy job by anybodies standards and he didn't need this on top of it all.

Teri had accepted the invite from Graem and Marilyn, and started telling Jack it would be a fun time, a family time, just what they all needed. That was until Jack hadn't thought to call Teri from CTU to tell her he wouldn't be home for lunch that Friday. Instead he interviewed a new employee, Nina, over a quick sandwich. He came home later to a stormy Teri, who wasn't fueling her anger at him because she was helping Kim get into her new dress and shoes. He could tell though it was brimming underneath the surface.

They drove to his brother's house in silence trying not to let the frustration brim over into their voice or faces, all except for Kim who was practicing singing a song she had to learn for school.

The night had been pretty uneventful, realistically bordering on boring. Jack knew though as soon as he got home that Teri would start into another argument. He couldn't take it again, yes it was his fault, but he wanted her to cool off a bit first. So he formed a plan to get out of it in his head. They sat on the couches having coffee in the large airy living room overlooking the sea. Kim was snuggled up against Teri, her eyes barely open.

"I think someone needs to go to bed," Teri said with a slight chuckle as she looked lovingly at her child. "Thank you so much for a lovely evening, it's been so nice," she beamed a smile to Marilyn.

"It's our pleasure," Marilyn replied sweetly. "Isn't Kim just adorable!" Everyone smiled looking at the sleeping little girl as Teri began to move carefully lifting Kim's head. She didn't see Jack's hand in his pocket setting of his pager. Everyone's head flew up to the trill little noise; Jack quickly jumped up and turned the sound off checking Kim was still asleep.

He spoke quietly his head pointing at Marilyn, "Do you mind if I use your phone?"

"Of course not Jack, you know where it is," she said with the airy smile only she possessed. Jack went around the corner and pretended to call CTU on the phone, but instead he listened to his work messages. He stood there pretending to speak and be annoyed; well the annoyed part wasn't pretending George Mason had left an angry message on his phone, again.

Jack gave a big sigh, "I'm really sorry, but that was CTU, they need me in right away, something urgent has come up," he made sure a look of annoyance that he was being called in at that hour in this 'family time' was on his face.

"How about if I take you and Kim home, Teri? I've got to go past your neighborhood to get to the office anyway," Graem said picking up his car keys off of the side.

"You're going to the office, Graem? It's nearly midnight," Marilyn questioned shaking her head.

"I know, Marilyn, but, there's just some business that I need to give attention," he said in a slightly condescending and matter of fact tone. Jack noticed that Marilyn didn't look too dismayed but more relieved. Gream picked Kim up, gathering her in his arms and went to put her in the car.

"Do you mind if I use the bathroom?" Jack asked uncomfortably.

"Yea, sure, Jack, of course you can," said Marilyn her eyes flying from Gream to Jack. Jack gave her his awkward smile, his eyes flicking from the floor to her eyes and back.

Teri was getting irritated now, "Jack, I'm going now, seeya tomorrow … maybe," she added hesitantly. She was so cold and glazy to Jack it hurt him; he felt it like a hard punch in his stomach, and he could feel it in the deepest pits of his heart. He loved her, couldn't she see he was doing everything he could for them to make a good life for them. It was driving him crazy!

When Jack came back into the living room the coffee cups were gone and so were Gream, Teri, and Kim. In place of the coffee cups though was a chilled bottle of beer. Marilyn was sat on the edge of the couch fumbling with a bottle opener trying hopelessly to get the top off.

"Err, hey thank you for everything tonight, it was really nice of you," Jack said giving her a genuine smile, "I think I had better be going now."

She stood up putting the bottle and bottle opener down, "You sure you don't want to stay for a drink?" she asked raising her eyebrows playfully, but Jack saw the sliver of pleading coming through in her eyes.

"I've already had one thank you, and I need to be getting back to CTU," he said this but didn't move off the spot of carpet he was stood on.

"I mean a proper drink, Jack, not a coffee, and that about CTU, I could always tell when you were lying, Bauer," she said with a giggle then sobered somewhat. "I think Teri knew that you didn't need to go, but you just wanted to." The smiles went they stared intensely at each other. When the intensity lessened Jack carried on just staring at her blankly.

"I could use a drink," he paused, "but won't Gream be back soon?"

Marilyn smirked, "He won't be home till tomorrow after, he never is when there's 'business' to attend to at this hour. I don't know what he's doing, and I don't want to know to be honest," her eyes went down to the floor.

"Sorry," he mumbled gently, taking a seat on the couch next to her. He grabbed her bottle and the opener from the coffee table and opened her bottle for her placing the chilled beer back on the table. She looked up into his eyes and they both smiled. "Beers alright isn't it, last time I remember you drank it well," a sly giggle came out of her.

"Yeah well, that has to be a long time ago, but I still drink it, not quite as well though." She got up and grabbed a pack of bottles which were chilled and passed him one.

He smiled at her, "How long has it been?" he asked his eyes staring into the past.

"Around thirteen years," she didn't miss a beat.

"Thirteen years," he whispered taking a sip out of the bottle then cradled it in his hands. "You know I'm sorry for…" he started to say but Marilyn interrupted.

"Stop it, you don't need to say sorry for anything in the past, that's gone, what happened, happened, and that's it," her eyes assured him. She grabbed him and herself another bottle, she passed them to Jack to open. Bringing her feet underneath her she snuggled into the couch then continued. "Do you remember that time when we drove up to Vegas on your motorbike during Spring Break?"

Jack started to cringe whilst laughing slightly, but when she began to giggle he lost the cringe and found himself laughing harder than he had done in a long time. The memories and stories carried on over the rest of the beer she had in the pack.

Later on they were giggling about something, but Jack had absolutely no clue what it was. She was sat right next to him curled up on the couch facing him, her features lit up with delight. He then noticed she had a red dress on which hugged her body and matched her lipstick. She looked beautiful; she didn't look any different than she had all those years ago. Marilyn realized Jack had stopped laughing, so, so did she. They just looked into each other's eyes without the tiniest laughter on their faces. The tension was thickening by the moment, his breathing was becoming harder like a weight was on his lungs, he could feel it in the pit of his inner self. Jack pulled her slightly towards him and gently kissed her. Marilyn was no longer steady on her knees almost falling off of the couch, Jack quickly pulled her closer and then slowly closer and closer to him, holding her as he carried on to kiss her. As she kissed him back they forgot who they were now; instead they were who they used to be. They were 17 again, without a care in the world, without a wife or a husband, just each other.

This story is going to be in 3 main chapters, but that could be a few parts.

I wasn't sure about this so I'd really love to hear what you think drop me a review it would really make my day :D