Written for AugustMist's Eureka Season 3/4 Winter Break Challenge #2. 498 works. Uses the words "aesthetics", "floodgates", and "dysfunctional hypocrite".
Jack Carter leaned back in his chair and sighed. Today was one of those days where he was beginning to feel like a bit of a jinx. He took a long sip of coffee and thought back over all that had happened.
First there was Henry. They had become fast friends after his arrival in town. Henry saw past simple aesthetics and judged people based on their actions. But lately, they hadn't talked much. Henry had become more withdrawn ever since losing Kim 2.0. It was worse than the first time, two years before, when Kim died in a lab accident. This accident later turned out to be something closer to murder. Though, Jack supposed that it hadn't helped when he had blown up at Henry about writing Zoe's recommendation letter to Harvard. Ever since then, other than small talk, they hadn't spoken.
He couldn't stand to think about Zoe. Losing her to Harvard one year early had been devastating. He opened the floodgates the second that she had left and closed the door to the smart house.
Carter glanced to his left. Jo was gone. He had seen it coming, but still had not been prepared for when it happened. Jo and Zane had been growing closer, especially in the last few months. Anyone could see that. Now, the time that Jo used to spend in the office cleaning her weapons and getting ahead on paperwork was spent with Zane. Carter had to admit that he was a teeny-bit jealous of the other man for taking up all the Deputy's attention. He missed their working lunches at Café Diem and watching whatever was on ESPN together. Still, he was happy for Jo. She deserved the best, especially after the whole incident with Callister Raynes, her ex-boyfriend, turning out to be a robot built by the late Nathan Stark.
He missed Tess too. Jack was confident that Tess moving to Australia was the right thing for her, but he couldn't help wishing that she had stayed with him in Eureka. He hated waking up without her. Now that Tess and Zoe were gone, the only person he could talk to at home was SARAH.
Then there was Allison. The director of Global had was still on her maternity leave. He knew that she wanted to spend as much time at home bonding with her daughter as possible before being forced to return to work.
Carter shook his head. He was beginning to feel like a dysfunctional hypocrite. He was happy for everyone-he just wanted to share a piece of that happiness.
"Hey."
Carter looked up. It was Allison, standing in the doorway with Jenna.
"I'm taking Jenna to the park," she continued. "Want to come?"
Carter smiled at Allison and the giggling baby. "Sure," he replied, "let me get my coat."
Carter smiled to himself as he pulled his coat on. Maybe it wasn't too late for him to have a piece of that happiness after all.