A little prefluff Jack/Henry. Because I think they'd be awesome together... don't get me wrong, I like Allison well enough, but why do I have to only support one pairing? It's like that stupid Jacob vs. Edward thing. I want both. Anyways, enough rambling. The following is just a story, which I own, about characters and settings that I don't. C&C please! Writing, typoes, anything you got I will love you for. =D
Eureka: The town of geniuses.
More like the town of confusion, Sheriff Jack Carter thought with a sigh, staring down at his untouched BLT. It was perfect, just as everything Vincent laid his hands on was perfect, but Jack didn't have much of an appetite.
Henry Deacon was in jail for a crime he'd committed, but in the end it all had been for the greater good. Being the sheriff and a U.S Marshal before that Jack knew that a crime was a crime no matter what the motive; he knew the law was there for a reason. It protected people from potential dangers and kept things from spinning out of control. But seeing the man who was arguably his best friend taken away in handcuffs…
Jack swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, ducking his head slightly so no one would see his eyes. The cheerful yellow plate beneath his food blurred as tears collected along his lids. He had put those handcuffs on Henry; he had sent the friendly mechanic on his journey to a federal prison. His best friend... he had done that to him. Regardless of Jack's involvement they still would have taken him away, but the memory gnawed at him. Seeing Henry in a brown jumpsuit for the first time was like a punch in the gut. It was so like the familiar tan one he'd worn around his shop, but minus the dirty nametag and knit cap.
After a moment Jack got himself under control and picked one half of his sandwich up, taking a small bite out of the corner. Cold bacon, lettuce, and mayonnaise all melded together on his tongue. Delicious, he thought bitterly, swallowing and taking a quick look around.
Zoey's boyfriend had just sat down a few seats away. He glared half heartedly at the teen before his attention wavered back down to his plate.
His mind was blissfully empty for a moment until the bell attached to the door rang, signaling someone had just entered. He looked up; Allison Blake walked in, going to the counter to talk with Vincent. "What can I do for you, Allison?" The chubby chef asked, smiling a greeting.
"Two coffees to go please," she ordered, returning the grin. Apparently she hadn't spotted the sheriff.
"For you and your fiancé I take it?" Vincent asked, smile broadening as he turned towards the espresso machine.
Allison's smile softened. Jack looked down again, closing his eyes briefly against the pain. He should be the one marrying Allison not that jerk Stark. Why did she have to choose him?
"Here you are, Miss Blake- or should I call you Mrs. Stark?" Vincent set the two sturdy paper cups down on the counter and Jack looked up just in time to catch an apologetic glance thrown his way. Allison followed Vincent's gaze. "Oh! Hello Jack, I didn't see you." She took the cups and sipped from one of them.
"Hey," Jack responded, turning slightly on his stool to face her.
They faced each other awkwardly for a long couple of seconds, Jack faking a smile and Allison seeing through it with a worried one of her own. "Well, I should probably get back and deliver this," she said at last, holding up one of the disposable cups in an apologetic manner.
"Oh, uh, yeah, you probably should. Don't want Stark's coffee to get cold," Jack replied, his smile even more strained as bitterness crept into his voice.
Allison's smile faltered but she turned to go anyway. "I'll see you later Jack," she said softly, nodding her thanks to someone as they held the door open for her.
Jack put his face in his hands briefly, rubbing his eyes before running the calloused fingers through his sandy-brown hair.
Allison was the woman for him. Smart, fair, kind, funny- not to mention beautiful; she was everything he wanted but couldn't have. Not now. She had made her decision and it hadn't been him. Worse, it was the man Jack couldn't stand.
He was jealous but in a subdued, accepting way. If Allison was happy then Jack could at least live with it, no matter how much his chest tightened when he saw them together; no matter how many times he caught himself staring at her with strangely familiar feelings swirling around his head, but when he tried to name them they dissipated like smoke in the breeze.
For the second time in less than an hour Jack felt his throat clog painfully with tears. Once again he looked hurriedly down at his plate, swallowing thickly. Allison had accepted Nathan's proposal days ago but the thought still killed him. Why did it have to be so hard?
"Dad?" Jack looked up as his daughter came over and frowned down at him.
"Hey Zoey," he said gruffly, clearing his throat and picking his sandwich up again. He took a quick bite; the bread was beginning to get soggy from the mayo.
"Are you ok?" She asked. Jack nodded, licking bacon grease from his lips.
"Of course. Just uh, enjoying my BLT." He grinned at her, this one realer than the one he gave Allison. "I'm fine Zo, don't worry about me." Zoey smiled and nodded, accepting the answer and going back to talk with her boyfriend.
Jack eyed them, but the stare was vacant. He had more important things to worry about.
The part of his brain that hadn't been focused on his troubles had noticed something peculiar; the pain he felt over losing his chance with Allison and losing Henry was almost exactly the same. That was impossible though. Henry was just his friend… wasn't he?
When Jack thought of the dark skinned man as he had been –free- a small smile lit up his face; the pain in his throat eased. Did the man really mean more to Jack then just a friend?
He had his answer right away, but it was all too much to think about right now. Allison, Henry, Zoey, Zoey's boyfriend, Zoey kissing her boyfriend… Jack straightened up in his chair, frowning.
He'd consider his interesting position with Henry later. There were more important things to worry about.