A/N: Another one-shot as I procrastinate my other stories. They are being written but usually take more planning since I need to prepare not only what happens in one chapter but how that will affect future chapters. This is a pre-season 4 story where Audrey and Jack decide to start their relationship. Just kind of a silly story. Please leave a review if you like it!

Jack was talking with Laura, a co-worker, at one of the many parties they were required to attend when Audrey walked in. Jack was immediately left speechless. Her blonde hair fell flawlessly over her shoulders in waves. Her green eyes looked even more alluring than usual because of the make up she was wearing. She wore a navy blue dress that wrapped around the back of her neck and hung low on her chest. It hugged her slim figure perfectly. On her feet she wore a pair of gold heels and Jack wondered how she didn't fall over in them.

"Earth to Jack," Laura said, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Sorry," Jack apologized. "What did you say?"

Laura looked over her shoulder to see what Jack was looking at and saw Audrey. Laura smiled. Audrey was a close friend of hers and Laura believed that Audrey and Jack would be cute together. Despite Audrey's insistence that she and Jack were just friends, Laura could tell that Audrey liked Jack and vice-versa. Her suspicions were even confirmed last week when Audrey had had too much to drink one night and couldn't stop talking about how handsome and sweet he was.

"I asked if you think Audrey looks hot tonight?" Laura teased.

Jack blushed, embarrassed that he had been caught looking at Audrey. He wasn't sure what to say.

"You don't have to say anything," she added. "We both know the answer."

With that, Laura just patted him on the shoulder and walked away.

Jack sighed. He hated himself for thinking of Audrey in that way. She was his co-worker, the boss's daughter, his friend, married. He should not be feeling anything else for her. Suddenly, he heard her angelic voice from behind him.

"You want one of these?" Audrey asked, holding out a glass of champagne. "I grabbed an extra."

"Thank you." Jack took the glass and took a sip with her. "You look great by the way."

Audrey blushed slightly. "You too."

"So, where should we start?" Jack asked, scanning the room full of people. It would be a long night of mingling, and discussing one of their proposals with different defense contractors, Senators, and other people in the political field. Jack hated this aspect of the job, pretending to enjoy conversations with people who he had very little in common with. He was thankful to have Audrey by his side for this part, as she was excellent at connecting with others and had a greater stamina for this than he did.

"Don't look so excited," Audrey said with sarcasm, as she noticed the boredom in Jack's face already. "Nobody's going to want to talk with you when you're making that face."

"What's wrong with my face?" Jack asked.

"You look like you don't want to talk to people," Audrey told him.

"Well, I don't," Jack admitted.

Audrey laughed. "Finish your drink. It will help."

Jack drank his glass of champagne. "Does my face look better now?"

Audrey shrugged with a smile. "It'll do."

They started talking with various people. By the end of the night, the last two people they needed to talk with were the two representatives from Senator Matthews office. Despite the four of them standing all together, they had struck up two different conversations, where Jack was speaking with one representative while Audrey spoke with the other. Jack didn't mind at first but couldn't help but overhear Audrey's conversation while the representative he was talking to was going off on a tangent.

"You know, I'm not sure I'm completely sold on it," the representative, Dan, told her. "I'd love to talk to you about more of the details. Are you free for dinner tomorrow?"

While Jack suddenly found himself irritated by this question, Audrey seemed unfazed. "If you have questions, I'm more than happy to answer them now."

"Well, I'd like to see what you have written for the proposal so far before I fill Senator Matthews in," Dan explained. "And, we are only in Washington for another night, so-"

"Oh," Audrey said, still not really sure why he would need to see the very preliminary proposal before bringing it up to the Senator. Eventually, he would be sent the final copy. "But, we are actually flying Boston tomorrow morning."

"When do you get back?" Dan asked.

"A few days," Audrey told him. She found it to be an odd question considering that he had just said he would be leaving DC soon.

"Well, how about I give you a call when you get back to discuss meeting up?" Dan suggested. Audrey agreed. Jack couldn't believe this guy. He could tell that he was trying to use work to get Audrey to go out with him. The last thing this guy wanted was to talk about the proposal with her. Who evens asks someone out like that? Not to mention that Audrey had known this man through work for years and he clearly knew that Audrey was married. Jack remembered though that she was now separated and no longer wore her rings. The news that Audrey Raines had separated from her husband had moved quickly through DOD and Jack wondered if it also spread outside of their office to other groups they associated with. If so, Audrey was likely being asked out by lots of men, which made Jack's stomach turn. Maybe she was dating now. Maybe she was even interested in dating this guy.

Dan handed Audrey a piece of paper to write her number down on and Jack noticed she wrote her DOD phone number not her cell number.

In another moment, Jack was ending his conversation and him and Audrey suggested that they get a drink from the bar down the street to celebrate getting through another one of these events. Jack happily followed her. It wasn't unusual for them to get a drink together. They were friends, and occasionally they would go with a group of co-workers. They would spend most of those times talking with each other, but tonight was different. It was just the two of them.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.

"I'll have a beer," Jack ordered.

"Vodka cranberry," Audrey ordered. "Light on the cranberry."

Jack laughed. "You could just order straight vodka."

"I could but that would be pretty uncivilized. I feel like it should at least look like a mixed drink."

Jack just smiled. The bartender put their drinks in front of them and they each took a sip. Jack looked at Audrey's glass and figured there was probably four shots worth of vodka in it.

"How was your talk with Nicholas?" Audrey questioned.

"Who?"

"Representative from Senator Matthews," Audrey reminded him, smiling. "You talked to him like two minutes ago."

She wasn't sure why she found Jack's dislike for these events so refreshing. She should be upset that he doesn't put as much effort into these events as she did, but instead she found it comical. Perhaps it was because she could relate to his hatred of these events. She was good at faking it, but she truly didn't care to mingle. Jack didn't care how people were related or connected to other important people. He only cared whether the conversation was interesting. And truthfully, she founded everything about him to be refreshing.

"Right," Jack said. "I think he seemed impressed by our work."

"You think?" Audrey asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I might have gotten a little distracted," Jack admitted.

"Hmm. Well, I hope you persuaded him. Dan didn't seem too convinced and wants us to spend more of our time convincing him."

"More of your time," Jack corrected.

"What?"

"Nothing," Jack said, realizing that he probably shouldn't bring it up. Audrey continued to stare at him waiting for an explanation. "I may have overheard part of the conversation. It sounded like he really wanted to talk to you about it more. Just you."

Audrey was confused. "No, he wanted us to take him to dinner tomorrow, but I told him we were flying to Boston. So, he's going to call when we get back to discuss it another day."

Jack shook his head in disagreement. "Nope. He was using work as an excuse to ask you out."

He took a small sip of beer and watched as Audrey took a large sip of her cocktail that was mostly alcohol.

"You okay?" Jack asked, as she finished her drink quickly.

"I mean is that how people do this dating thing now?" Audrey asked. "You just get tricked into going on a date that you don't really want to go on? I mean are men really that pathetic that they can't just ask you out directly? I haven't been on a date in years - I mean not a first date. No, actually I mean any date. I don't even remember the last time Paul and I went out."

Audrey paused to request a refill from the bartender who got her another which she took another sip of. Jack held back his smile. He could tell she was about to ramble on and on. He found it pretty cute when she would do this. He had seen her do it a few times before at lunch or in informal settings. But, he had never seen her rant while drinking and never about a topic so personal.

"And, at a work event," Audrey continued. "Pathetic. You know, I used to always know when I was being hit on. Guys flirted with me all the time. Now, you can tell when I'm being asked out better than I can. Not that I even want to be asked out because then I would actually have to go on a date and be likeable and then there's the whole sex thing which is terrifying because I've only slept with one person my entire life. And, it's not even that great."

Audrey finished her next drink and Jack wasn't sure whether or not to say something. He wondered if he should stop her from talking, as she was now sharing details with him that he was sure she'd regret in the morning. But, he loved listening to her. The way the words came off her lips was mesmerizing. Her hands would get involved too. Her eyes showed all sorts of emotion.

"But, then again, I am ready to date," she said. Jack started to listen closer. "I mean if it was the right person. Not some pathetic loser who asks you out by arranging a work meeting."

"The right person?" Jack inquired, sensing that her rant was over.

"I don't know," Audrey shrugged, feeling her cheeks flush. Of course she wanted it to be him. But, she couldn't bring herself to tell him that. Not when she couldn't get a good read on whether he felt the same way. She looked away from him and saw the clock on the wall.

"It's getting pretty late and we have an early flight," Audrey told him, indicating that they should leave now. They started walking to their cars and Jack noticed that Audrey was swaying a bit.

"I'll drive you home," Jack insisted.

"I can just take a cab," Audrey muttered. "Really, I don't want to be a bother."

"Audrey, let me take you home," Jack said, more sternly. He led her to his car and helped her get in and then drove her to her apartment. She unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to get out but instead turned towards Jack.

"Thanks for bringing me home," she said. Jack was looking into her big green eyes and was about to tell her she was welcome when he felt her lips gently pressed against his. They were only there for a second and before he could register what was happening her lips had already left his and Audrey was already on her way inside her apartment.

Jack could barely sleep thinking about the kiss that Audrey had left him with. Her lips had been so soft on his and had left him wanting more. He tried putting it out of his mind. Surely, it had just been a thank you kiss. Or a friendly goodnight kiss. Or maybe even just a kiss because she had drank too much. But, god, he wanted more of those gentle kisses.

Jack woke up and prepared himself to go to Boston with Secretary Heller and Audrey. He met them at the airport terminal and climbed aboard Heller's private jet. Heller was already there and they began discussing work, while they waited for Audrey.

Audrey finally got on board, a few minutes late compared to when she had said she was going to get there. She had an extra large coffee tumbler in her hand and Jack was confident that her lateness was likely due to a hangover.

"Sorry I'm late," Audrey said, taking her seat.

"That's okay," Heller assured her. "Everything okay? It's not like you to be late."

"I'm good," Audrey lied. Her head was pounding and she felt embarrassed to be sitting across from Jack who she had made a total fool of herself in front of last night. "I just hit some traffic."

The three of them worked on the plane and then got into the limo. Based on the way Audrey was avoiding eye contact with him for most of the day, he decided it would be best to let the kiss that they shared last night go, unless Audrey brought it up first.

Later in the day, they finally had a moment alone, as Heller had left the limo to have a very brief visit with someone and told Audrey and Jack that they could remain in the limo. Once he was gone, Audrey finally locked eyes with Jack.

"So, last night," Audrey started, shyly. "I'm really sorry. I'm so embarrassed. I told you way too many personal things about me."

"You don't have to apologize," Jack told her. "Or be embarrassed. I'm not going to share anything you told me with anyone else."

Audrey shifted uncomfortably and rubbed her neck. "It's not that. I just - I -"

She stopped as the car door opened and her father stepped back inside. Jack immediately asked how his meeting had been, hoping to distract him from the fact that Audrey was bright red. Jack hoped that they would have another moment alone during the day but that didn't happen.

He was relaxing in his hotel room later that night when he heard a soft knock at the door. He looked through the peephole and saw Audrey outside. He smiled to himself before opening the door.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," Audrey replied. They stood at the door for a moment in silence.

"Do you want to come in?" Jack asked.

"Uh," Audrey waivered. She wanted to speak with him privately but also thought that being alone with him in a hotel room could lead to trouble. The kind of trouble that she desperately wanted to have with him. Then again, where else would they go to talk? "Sure. Yes."

Jack moved aside to let Audrey in and felt her body brush past his.

"We didn't get a chance to finish talking about last night," Audrey started.

"Okay," Jack agreed.

"What I was trying to say is that I was embarrassed because I-I care about what you think of me," Audrey said.

"Well, I don't think any differently about you," Jack promised.

"I know but my thoughts were all over the place," Audrey reminded him. "I said I wanted dating to be more direct, and then I said I just wasn't ready to date, and then I said I did want to, and then I kissed you."

Audrey paused, trying to read Jack's expression. God, she hated that she couldn't read him. "I just want to clarify. I am ready to date. I like you. And, that kiss was my drunken way of trying to be more direct. I shouldn't have done it when I was in that state of mind, but-"

Audrey was too busy talking to notice that Jack had moved closer to her. He interrupted her sentence by pressing his lips to hers more urgently than last night's kiss. One arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him, while his other hand framed her face.

Audrey was shocked at first, but then melted into his kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to her. Their kiss was the perfect balance of gentle and urgent, and lasted a while before they pulled apart, breathless with their foreheads resting against each other and their noses just barely touching. Neither of them could get the smiles off their faces.

"I've been waiting so long to do that," Jack admitted, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Audrey smiled, happy that she had come over here to express her feelings. "Jack, do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow?"

"I would love to," Jack agreed. They kissed again, both of them knowing that this would be the start of a new and exciting relationship.