Authors Note: I don't own 24, because if I did, there'd be wayyy more Jack+Chloe! D
This is my first 24 FanFic, so be nice.
He dropped his gun in the open area of grass below his feet. "He's...dead. I... NO!" he whispered to himself; but choked out the word 'no' only half way several times.
His hands covered his face, but only for a millisecond. Then, he started to run. His feet pounded the ground until his body completely ran out of energy and his stomach swirled with nausea. He collapsed in the grass and the nausea overtook him. He gagged momentarily, then crawled over to a tree and leaned on it, trying to absorb its strength.
His phone rang and he answered. He tried to convince the voice on the other end that he couldn't do it anymore. He was tired, weak, and wounded. But he hid the fact that he was emotionally distraught.
Finally, despite his argument, he was convinced to finish the job he started.
"So you're still with us, Jack?" the voice asked.
He let out a gruff sigh, holding back a sob;
"Yes sir..."
"Your country thanks you, Jack; I thank you." and the voice was gone.
All Jack could do was nod. A slow, almost stillness, a sadness, filled and hung in the air. His hands trembled. A sob escaped his lips as he covered his face.
After a few minutes, he dialed a number, the only number he remembered all through the torture in China.
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In a cubicle at CTU, a woman answers her phone.
"Chloe O'Brian."
"Chloe." a voice choked.
"Jack?!"
"Yeah. Yeah Chloe...it's me..."
"Jack, what's going on out there? Curtis is..."
"I did it! Chloe ... I shot him. I'm sorry!"
"Ja-"
"Chloe!" he sobbed. "I can't do this. Not anymore. I can't ... I just can't."
There was a long pause. Chloe had no idea what to say. Jack had always been the strong one. A piece of her, the part that dealt solely with computers and never with human emotion screamed, telling her to hang up. But a piece of her heart told her to reach out to Jack. He'd done so much for everybody. God, he was willing to sacrifice himself for his country! And for once, he needed somebody to lean on.
"Chloe, I..."
Her heart took over, "Jack! You... You can do this. You always have! I know you Jack! You CAN do this. I believe in you."
"But, Chloe. I...I can't even tell who the enemy is anymore."
"Jack, despite everything... you still have a reason to do this! Think of Kim ... and Audrey!"
God, how she hated them for abandoning him to do this on his own!
"They think I'm DEAD!"
"Jack, I know but..." She bit her lower lip. "They love you. And the only point in saving us all, is to do it for those you love and those who love you."
He took to heart what she said, no realizing her encrypted message.
"Then, I guess I have to..."
"You do that Jack." she smiled at Jack's new found confidence.
"Thank you, Chloe. I owe you."
"You owe me nothing Jack."
"Yes, yes I do."
"Oh give it a rest Jack! All I did was answer the -"
x BOOM x
Jack tumbled forward only to turn around and gape up at the sky.
"Oh, god..." he said, barely above a whisper.
Chloe had heard the explosion and shuddered.
"Jack?!" she paused and when there was no answer, she tried yet again.
"Jack?!" Louder ... "Jack? Are you there ... God Jack, please be okay..." she added the last part worriedly, but quietly as well. Apparently not quiet enough.
"I'm fine Chloe. Everything's going o be okay." he told her in the most soothing voice he could muster.
"I...I know Jack." She couldn't believe she was getting emotional. She'd had friends and partners killed before, she was used to it. Just like she'd gotten used to seeing Jack. She didn't want to admit it but, she loved him. She'd, over the years, learned to love the untrusting, uncaring, bastard. She wasn't sure what about him in was that made her fall for him; but she was willing to bet it had something to do with the fact that he had been willing to die for his country; not to mention the firey, but calming intensity in his eyes.
"Chloe, I have to go."
"Jack, Wait!"
There was a pause before Chloe took a deep breath and said something she never thought she'd admit to herself, partially because she hadn't realized it before. Her mouth sped past her thoughts and spoke.
"Be careful." she said sincerely.
"I will. I will Baby." He quietly added the last part.
And as he hung up she whispered one last thought.
"I love you Jack."
She hung up her phone and went back to watching Jack on the computer hooked up to a passing satellite.
What she didn't know, was that he had indeed heard, and even through hell and back, his smile just wouldn't go away. He fought harder, now, because he had something worth dying for, but he wouldn't die; no not today. Because he's Jack Bauer, with 22 hours left in the day, and a message to give to Chloe.
... he loves her too.
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END -- Read + Review please!! hope you like it!