Save millions of lives from a nuclear explosion, or save Paul, and thus, your image in Audrey's eyes.
Jack makes the right choice. Paul's heart monitor flatlines, and another little piece of Jack's humanity shrivels up and dies along with Audrey's ex-husband.
Jack's been holding the sky up on his shoulders for a long time, and it just got heavier. Every minute, he's becoming a monster to save a million people. A million people who wake up every day, and don't know what one man they're likely never to meet is doing for them. Who go about their work or don't, who live lives or end them, who exist, who love, who laugh, who cry. A million people.
You son of a bitch, she rages. You killed him.
The words are numb and empty, and she is shrieking like a cornered animal, her manicured nails leaving red marks on his cheek. Doesn't matter. What little sting of physical pain she can give him is a gift. Rain from heaven, something to remind him that there is something very important he was doing. Every second is precious. A million people need you. They don't know it and never will, but it's the truth.
The truth leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
Jack swallows his humanity. He's Atlas again. Carrying the sky for eternity. There are things to be done, and somebody has to make the miserable choices. The ones that nobody wants to make, but that everyone is thinking in the back of their minds.
He decides, then and there, that he will be that person.
He's already in Hell, anyway.
A/N: Hey! I wrote this drabble after seeing Season 4. When Jack made the choice between Paul and their lead, I thought of Jack and Atlas, the greek mythological figure who carried the sky on his shoulders for eternity. Tell me what you think of the style, I was going for something like his brain just setting down cold facts, sort of numb and dull, yeah? Thanks.