Another Shot For Love
Disclaimer: I own nothing but what you see here. I've loved Eureka for years now and still hope to see it back on the air with all new episodes or at least in comic book form like it was for awhile with BOOM! Studios. One thing I'm surprised about is that as far as I know, I've never seen anyone do anything with Jack and his ex-wife Abby, especially after her two part appearance. So this one shot explores that area a bit.
As Abby walked away to return to LA, Jack stood in his office thinking over everything from recent events. Beverly's therapy device had really forced some issues he hadn't wanted to really think about to the fore front of his mind. And now that it had, along with the fact he had essentially faced down his fears in the device, it had him thinking quite a bit. Mostly things were Abby was concerned and the fact he was just letting her walk away when she still clearly felt something for him. While he felt there was something there for Allison, the history he shared with Abby was something else as well and he really didn't think that he would be doing a service to those years of history that had also brought him Zoe into his life by letting it or Abby go without a fight. This… This could be a second chance for Abby and I. Things have changed, including myself. If she's willing then I know we could make this work. The man thought to himself and before he knew it, he found himself running out of the office.
"ABBY!" He yelled as he ran towards her and the rental she was about to get into.
His yell startled the blonde therapist a bit as she looked towards him in surprise. She honestly hadn't been expecting him to come charging out like that and while she felt crushed he hadn't appeared to be more willing to come after her, she understood that he could have just as likely moved on like she herself tried to do. "J-Jack? What's wrong!?" Did he suddenly get a call about Zoe!? Years of being with Jack and the years spent as a parent had taught her quickly things could change and hoped something horrible hadn't just happened to her daughter in this well, quite frankly bizarre town.
"What? No, nothing's wrong." He quickly re-assured her as he got in front of her with a harried look about him that still had her concerned.
"Oh, I was honestly worried there for a moment Jack." The woman told him in a relieved tone of voice.
Jack winced at that as he hadn't meant to worry her and in a moment that came from years of trust, he put his hands on the sides of her shoulders, making Abby look at him and wondering what he was doing exactly. "Well you know me, doing things without meaning to do it at times." He remarked glibly, earning a smile from the woman in the process.
"Good to see you finally owning up to it Jack." He stuck out his tongue at her in response that had her shaking her had at him in fond exasperation.
"You can thank Beverly's little therapy device for that. It, it uhh… It really made me face a few things I wasn't wanting to deal with. Like pretty much feeling abandoned but not saying anything cause I didn't feel like I should." Here, she looked at him in concern over that as while she hadn't really did her thing with him, she hadn't felt his issues were that strong. Goes to show what she knows she figured.
"Jack! You can always say it! You should never feel like you shouldn't." She assured him quickly and gained a nod for it in return.
"Yeah, yeah I know that now and its why I'm out here."
Here he took a few seconds to gather himself before going as his ex-wife waited on to see what he had to say. She really didn't want to have a cinder of a hope that he was going to tell her he wanted her back. As she really didn't want to get her hopes up for nothing. The time they'd been apart had been the longest time of her life, even if she had had someone else for a short period of time, he hadn't really been able to fill the void in her life that she knew should be filled by Jack. Jack and Zoe's time here in Eureka had obviously done the both of them a world of good and it had made her immensely happy when she had witnessed that. Their being so accepted in the small town of geniuses and the like was another thing that was amazing to her and a small part of herself wondered what it'd be like to be a part of that even though her life was back in Los Angeles.
A life that failed to have Jack and their daughter in it because of their different paths that brought them to Eureka and kept them in its grasp. She was brought out of her musings when Jack let out a breath and figured he'd figured out what he was going to say now. "I'm out here because I don't want you basically walking out of my life again. I'm out here because I don't want you going back to LA. I want, I want you to stay here with me. With me and Zoe. Another chance at a family for the three of us again." Abby could hardly believe what she was hearing while her heart was bursting with happiness at hearing Jack speak so strongly.
This and when he'd come out of that enforced coma courtesy of the therapy device was the only things she could remember hearing him sound so strongly about something in years that wasn't some biting remark out of anger. "Jack..." She started softly but it seemed he wasn't done.
"Everything today has made me realize that things can go in the blink of an eye, and its because of that and what I still feel for you that I want another chance for us. I know it probably sounds pretty crazy and one of the geniuses around here would have something to say about it, but that's about the size of it. And I know its a lot to ask of you and I get the feeling their gonna need another therapist and you're one so its perfect." Damn did he feel drained, but he couldn't help but add in that little joke. One he could tell she appreciated a little.
The fact she had tears in her eyes showed him he was either doing a very good job at convincing her to stay or was essentially setitng himself up for a fall. And dear God did he hope it was more the first then the second. "But if I've completely got the wrong impression then I'm sorry for thinking otherwise and hopefully we can just forget this even happened." He added in nervously and it nearly made her heart break in two from the fear she could hear in his voice.
"Jack?"
"Yeah? And please go easy on me would ya?"
She smiled at him and shook her head in fond exasperation at him for trying to be light hearted despite such a heavy moment between the two. "Shut up." She told him, much to his wide eyed shock.
"Uhh what!?" He got out but was interrupted by the impact of her lips against his. The feeling of her lips was something he never quite thought he'd feel again and by Baseball did it feel so damn right!
Pulling away, she looked at the gob smacked expression on his face with a fond smile at him. "Is that what you were looking for?" She asked teasingly and a little twinkle formed in his eye alongside a mischievous smile could be seen on him. God how she missed that look from him.
"Welllll… I may need another example of that." Jack told her leadingly and much to his happiness, she obliged him with one heck of a soul searing kiss as they held one another tightly and that left him swearing he could hear cheers coming from somewhere but ignored it in favor of what was very clearly his second chance with Abby.
A chance he was going to do his damn best to not screw up. And being in one place now instead of all over the country would make that a lot easier to do. Breaking apart from their kiss, they touched foreheads as they both smiled very happily. "How was that example for you?" Her question got a chuckle from the good Sheriff and she had a pretty good idea of how he felt about it.
"It was the nicest!"
Neither knew where this was going to go exactly, but with time and a lot of patience and love, it would go in a direction both would love for a very long time. Zoe herself would come to love it a lot as well in the days to come and even Fargo would get the chance to be Jack's best man at their second wedding since he'd been the one to do all the cheering that day outside the Sheriff's office. Abby, Allison, and Jo, along with Tess Fontana, Grace Monroe, and Holly Marten would all become pretty great friends as well as the years went by despite some initial hangs up Allison had regarding any feelings she felt she had for Jack.
Abby's lack of an agenda proved very beneficial when it came to providing therapy for the brains of Eureka as well. An encounter with Beverly herself led to an ass kicking for the woman that when Zane heard of it, had jokingly remarked he wished he had a camera to record the whole thing. Abby and Jack Carter would serve the community of Eureka for over forty years before finally retiring to a much quieter life. Well as quiet as you could get in a small town of geniuses anyway. Jack had left the Sheriff's office in the capable hands of Jo Lupo-Donovan, ANDY, and Kevin Blake who split his time between being a deputy and being a scientist.
The Carters would also be the best gosh darned set of god parents for one Jenna Stark that a child could ask for. Zoe herself would also see Kevin and Jenna as surrogate siblings as time went on and even though she and Lucas never married, the two were quite happy with one another. Zoe would also become a pretty well known doctor after she had chosen to go to Med school after Allison had inspired her. Something Abby would later joke that she usurped her hopes of her daughter becoming a therapist like her, but added she'd get Jenna on that path instead. Much to the fond exasperation from Allison.
Author's Notes: I hope those of you that read this will have enjoyed my first entry into Eureka. I'm not sure I'll ever do more with Abby and Jack but who knows what the future holds. This also ignores season 4's time traveling escapades as well. I do know one thing though, and that is that I'd love to do something with Jack and Tess since that couple was one of the best ones on the show. And speaking of couples, whatever happened exactly to Callie from season 2? It always felt like she just disappeared with no real explanation.
Anywho! Look forward to your thoughts!