I do not own EUReKA.
"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." - Lewis Carroll
Jallison in Wonderland
Chapter 1: Through the Looking Glass
"We still have time to turn around you know. We can be back at the airport in less than an hour."
Playfully waggling his brows in her direction, Jack continued to make his pitch.
"Come on. No one knows we're back yet. We could extend our trip, take another week off. We deserve it. Plus, I'd get to see you in that teeny tiny bikini again."
Allison rolled her eyes at him in response. "You are incorrigible."
Swatting at his hand; which had now drifted onto her thigh, she confessed. "We can't, we have jobs to get back to," then poked out her bottom lip, "and I miss the kids."
How could he deny her when she looked like that; she was adorable. He had to admit, while it was nice to get away, he yearned to be home with the entire family, so ruefully, he acquiesced. "Yeah, I miss them too."
The remainder of their journey home, they reminisced about their trip, as Bruno Mars' the Lazy Song played in the background.
The idea for a mini vacation was a spur of the moment decision. They had both been running themselves ragged and were in desperate need of a break, so they decided to be selfish and took a week for themselves. Nothing but seven days of fun in the sun at a private resort in the Bahamas. Pristine white sands, water so clear you could see the bottom, bright sunny days and balmy cool nights. Mind you, it wasn't Fiji, but it was close enough. They figured it would be one of their last opportunities to get away for a while. Though Allison didn't yet show, she was two months pregnant. The impending birth of their fourth child filled not only them, but their siblings Zoé, Kevin and Jenna with excitement. Jack was sure if she hadn't already been pregnant, she surely would have been by the time their vacation had ended. They really did have a great time.
They had been talking so intently, they hadn't noticed what lay before them until it was too late.
"Oh my God. Jack, stop!"
As Jack rounded the bend, he caught sight of what had caused Allison to shriek. A multicolored wave that spread across the landscape as far as they could see.
Jack slammed on the brakes, but it was all for naught as they coasted through the massive wall. Allison screamed upon the point of impact; the earsplitting sound filling the small space.
As the car came to a screeching halt, Jack turned off the ignition and embraced her.
"Baby, are you okay?"
Short of breath, shaking uncontrollably, she answered. "I'm...I'm okay. Jack, what was that?"
All Jack could do was shrug his shoulders. He'd never seen anything like it before.
Simultaneously they exited the vehicle and moved to the rear the vehicle where they observed that the barrier had disappeared. Jack moved forward cautiously and stuck his hand in the space where the ripples used to be.
"Be careful Jack."
"That's strange," Almost as if he were talking to himself he muttered, "it's gone?"
Allison approached the area that has only moments before contained the electromagnetic waves when suddenly, she stopped.
"Jack. The kids."
Their eyes met as his expression mimicked hers for they both knew Eureka all to well and how frequently danger lurked around every corner.
Jack drove home at breakneck speeds, taking notice along the way that things looked the same as they had before they had left. Maybe whatever that thing was, it was a fluke, something completely harmless. That's what he tried to convince Allie of, but he didn't really believe it himself. All he knew was that he had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach; that sixth sense of his was telling him something was wrong...very, very wrong.
He pulled out his PDA and called Jo.
"Hey Jo, it's me...uh huh...yeah...all right..."
Attentive, Allison listened for any sign from her husband that there'd been a horrible accident.
"...okay then, I'll see you later."
Allison waited with bated breath, "Well?"
"She said everything's good. No disturbances, no projects gone awry. Still..." He trailed off, never finishing his sentence.
Pulling gradually onto their lot, they agreed that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was a car parked that they didn't recognize, but it could have easily been one of Kevin's friends. Allison began to relax as it seemed all indeed was well.
Jack removed their bags from the back and followed behind as she headed inside. Only steps ahead of him, Allison crossed the threshold and instantly stopped dead in her tracks, causing him to bump into her backside.
As if his surroundings had began rotating in slow motion, Jack glared ahead as Tess emerged from the stair landing, and she looked...happy. She wore one of his gingham shirts which hung low, almost reaching her bare knees, her hair; which was now a fiery red, was looped into a ponytail.
"Hey guys. Welcome back."
Jack couldn't speak; the words were stuck in his throat. He dropped their bags on the floor and crossed toward her, his defenses on high alert.
Allison on the other hand managed to emote exactly what he'd been thinking.
"Tess. What are you doing here?"
She stared at Allison quizzically, her eyes taking on the appearance of plate saucers as if Allison had just uttered the craziest thing she'd ever heard. "Uh, I live here."
Tess approached Jack, lifted up onto her tiptoes and kissed him square on the lips. "Hey love. I missed you."
Stunned was not the word as Jack reflexively turned to Allison; his love, his life. He was sure she could see his anguish and confusion. All the color had drained from his face.A look of complete terror in his eyes, he knew the question that was on her mind...
Where was Kevin? Where was Jenna? Then automatically, his head lowered to her stomach, as she placed her hands where their unborn child lay.
What about their baby?
Jack couldn't concentrate. He knew Tess was talking but was unable to make out any of the words. Slowly they came into focus just in time for him to respond.
"So, how was the conference?"
"Conference?" He wasn't kidding; he had no idea what she was talking about.
Allison chimed in, "It was great, very informative."
He was glad she had an answer because he was sure to blow their cover; or whatever was going on.
"I thought you were taking Al home first?"
Jack stumbled over his words. "I did. I am. I mean, I will."
Allison, always on her game, reached out and grasped his forearm in an attempt to calm him. She played it off as if she were trying to garner his attention.
"He is. I wanted to stop in and say hi."
"Come on Al, you know you're always welcome here."
As if the notion had never occurred to him, he blurted out in fear, "Where's Zoé?"
"Uh, school I assume. Jack, are you okay?"
"Yeah. Tired I guess."
He needed to get out of there. His head was killing him and thankfully, Allison had provided his escape route.
"Jack, let's go. You'd better take me home so you can get back and rest."
Without another word to Tess, they clambered up the stairs. They were careful not to speak as they ascended. S.A.R.A.H could hear everything, so before they knew exactly what was going on, they had to be cautious.
The ride over to Allison's former home was made in silence. Jack knew what was on her mind and what had her scared. They had been here before. Their previous time trip travel to 1947 had resulted in an entirely different Kevin when they returned. He knew it wasn't that she'd be disappointed if the old Kevin had returned; she loved him no matter what. The fact was, they now had this incredible bond and it would be difficult to go back. Then there was what she couldn't bare to say aloud...
If Jenna didn't exist, Allison would be devastated.
As they rounded the corner onto her street, she spoke her first words since getting into the car.
"I'm afraid Jack. What is going on? What if the kids..."
He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "Allie, don't. Don't even think that."
Her voice trailed off and that's when he noticed two things. One, the tears that were streaming down her cheeks, and the hand he'd taken into his. As he sat motionless, his head bowed, Allison followed it's path, and thats when she saw it too.
"Jack, our rings. They're gone."
Jack didn't know about her, but he felt sick to his stomach. He dreaded walking through that front door; he didn't know how much more he could take, and since they couldn't put off the inevitable, wearily they stepped inside and listened for noises; specifically those of her children.
The seconds that passed felt like hours, and then she let out the breath she'd been holding as Kevin's voice could be heard from upstairs.
"Mom's home!"
Bounding down each step two at a time, he sounded like a herd of elephants stampeding.
"Hey mom."
"Kevin. Kevin baby. Come here."
Allison wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight. Obviously, Kevin had thought his mother had lost her mind as her gestured over to Jack, his mouth in the shape of an o, he pointed at her as if to say, "What's up with her?"
Jack motioned nonchalantly, hoping he'd leave the subject alone. Little did Kevin know, Jack wanted to hug him too.
As she released him, Jack could see her relief. It was her Kevin, the Kevin she left behind...but, where was Jenna he wondered?
As if there were a transference of thought, she asked. "Kevin, where's your sister?"
Kevin turned back toward the stair and called out. "Jenna, hurry up. Mom's home."
Turning to Jack, he could see her exuberance; Jenna was here, but neither of them were prepared for what greeted them.
Momentarily in shock, Allison stammered when she came face to face with her baby girl.
"Jen-na. Jenna! Look...look at you."
Standing before them, was a six year old Jenna. The same Jenna she'd met in the Eureka matrix.
Allison crouched low and embraced the precocious little girl.
Her little arms hung tightly around Allison's neck, the tears welled up again. "Mommy, I missed you."
Petting her hair, Allison could barely contain her joy. "Oh baby, I missed you too."
His thoughts racing a mile a minute, Jack couldn't figure how Tess had come back into his life, let alone have Jenna age four years. So the question wasn't only a matter of where they where, but when they were. All he could do was smile; the kids were safe. So what if there was a slight change. Right now, he didn't know what to do about Tess, but they would figure it out.
Allison craned her head toward Jack, her smile bright and wide; everything was going to be all right.
That's when they heard it. A voice from the past that sent a chill straight down Jack's spine.
"Well, did anybody miss me?"
Allison rose slowly; her completion ashen, she looked as if she'd seen a ghost.
Taking each step gingerly, he looked as he did the day he died.
"Nathan..." It was the last word Allison spoke before she collapsed into Jack's arms.
Carrying her over to the couch, she roused less than a minute later, still mystified by the sights before her.
"Honey, are you okay?"
The voice that would on any other day ask that question was not his.
Jack stood back as Stark tended to her. He knew he and Allie were the only ones aware of what was going on, but that didn't stop the green-eyed monster of jealously from rearing it's ugly head as Stark lovingly attended to her. Cradling her head as she lay back on the sofa, he helped her to sip at some water.
"I guess the trip took a lot more out on you than you thought."
Speechless, Allison couldn't say anything, so Jack responded for her. "Yeah, it's been a bumpy ride."
Addressing Jack, Nathan unceremoniously dismissed him, "You're okay to head on home. She'll be fine. I've got this."
Jack stared at the faces in the room; Stark's, Kevin's, Jenna's and then Allison; his Allison. He knew she didn't want him to leave, but how could he stay. They needed to talk, but now wasn't the right time. So begrudgingly, he headed home...to Tess.
Jack could hold on, if only for one night. Tomorrow would be another day.
A/N: Yup, we're back here again. I love Eureka, and I love the fact that we can make them whatever we want them to be, so don't assume you know what's coming. I'm going to flip the script a bit. Along with an alternate Eureka, comes alternate personalities. What exactly are Jack and Allison like in this world, and will they ever get back to what was left behind?
Enjoy the ride.