Chapter One
Six years. A lot happens in six years, more than people want to accept. Babies are born, people die, fashion changes, music changes, the economy changes. Then there are things that never change: sex, lying, cheating, theft, murder, greed. In her mind it was still 1996 and in his it was 2002, but 1996 would forever be imprinted in his mind. 1996 would have been any other year for him, if it hadn't been for the accident, the accident that changed his life.
"Jack," Serena entered his office.
He didn't even hear her enter nor did he really care, not today at least. It was the six-year anniversary of the accident. Six years Claire had been in a coma with no signs of recovery. He had stopped visiting her after two years for he couldn't stand to see her like that, a Sleeping Beauty that would not wake no matter how passionate his kissed her.
"Jack, are we going to look at those files?" Serena asked.
Jack turned around from looking out the window and looked at Serena. He sometimes wondered how she ever got through law school.
"Jack, what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself."
"It's been six years today."
"Six years since what?"
Oh yeah, he thought, I'm the only one in this office that was here when it happened. Nobody talked about Claire anymore, not even the old stories and rumors were told.
"Don't worry about it, it doesn't mean anything to you."
"It might if you tell me," Serena said. Jack was obscure to her. She wanted to know him on a personal level but he never opened up to her.
"Let's go through the files, Serena," Jack said.
Serena looked at him intensely, she knew he was hiding something, "Jack, please tell me."
"The files," Jack commanded.
"They're in my office, I'll go get them," Serena left.
Jack sat alone at a small circular table at the Italian cafe that was only a couple of streets down from the District Attorney's office. He was sipping on a glass of iced tea when Lennie Briscoe walked up to him.
"Is this seat for me?" Lennie asked.
"Of course," Jack informed watching Lennie as he sat down.
"It's been six years today since it happened and I still don't go one damn day without thinking about it," Lennie said bitterly, "and it's my fault, my fault!"
The waiter walked up to them, "Would either of you want a glass of our white wine?"
"No!" Jack and Lennie exclaimed simultaneously. Both of them always swore off alcohol on the anniversary of the accident. They both ordered and sat in silence for a minute.
"If I hadn't gotten drunk that night, she would have never offered to take me home," Lennie said disgusted at himself.
"And if I hadn't grown impatient I would have actually waited for her to pick me up," Jack said, "I know it's not my fault, it's the drunken bastard that hit her's fault, but deep down inside I still feel somewhat responsible. I loved her, Lennie, I actually loved her."
"Then why did you stop visiting her?," Lennie asked.
"I can't stand to see her like that," Jack said taking a drink of his tea, "you know that, Lennie"
"Yeah I know, but talking to her might make you feel better."
"It might, but she wouldn't hear it. Comatose people don't hear anything."
However, this was not true. At that same very moment she could hear the respirator she was hooked up to and voices down the corridor. She could also hear her own thoughts loud and clear, Open your eyes, you're awake. Where am I? What's going on? She opened her eyes, something she had not done in six years, something she would have forgotten how to do if it wasn't natural. She looked around the dark room perplexed at why she was in a hospital room, hooked up to a respirator. She removed the respirator from her mouth and nose, it was suffocating not being able to breathe when she wanted to. The machine started to beep loudly, indicating something wrong, and within ten seconds her room was filled with doctors and nurses. They all stopped short at the bedside, stunned to see her breathing on her own and her eyes open.
Chapter Two
"What is your name?" A woman doctor asked standing at the bedside with a file and pen.
"Claire Kincaid, but why are you asking? Why am I here?"
"And what year were you born?"
"1966."
"What is your job?"
"I'm an Assistant District Attorney and while I'm talking about that, I'm working on an important case right now so I would like to get back to work," Claire answered impatiently.
"I'm sorry, Claire, but I can't let you go," the doctor said writing.
"And why not? And you still haven't told me why I am here. I would really like to know what is going on."
The doctor looked at Claire through her glasses, "There is no way to tell you this nicely. You were in an automobile accident. You suffered some severe injuries and because of them you have been in a coma for the past six years."
Claire looked at her in disbelief, "I've been in a coma for six years? It's not longer 1996?"
"No, it's 2002," the doctor said sweetly trying to tone down the shock this news was bringing.
"What type of accident was it?"
"According to the report, you were taking your friend Detective Lennie Briscoe home when a drunk driver hit your car. You suffered a concussion that led to the coma and several cuts and bruises. Everybody is still in awe that you came out of the coma, a coma that we thought gave you no chance of recovery, on the anniversary of the accident. We can't explain it."
Claire sat there perplexed. She did not remember the accident, she remembered offering Lennie a ride home and that she was mad that Jack didn't wait for her, "I don't remember being in an accident."
"You wouldn't, you were knocked unconscious as soon at the car hit you."
"Where's my family? Where's Jack?" Claire asked. She wanted familiar faces, this was too much for her.
"Your family has been notified, they should be here later today. They were so shocked at the news. They were so sure you would never come out of the coma, so for the past two years they cut their visits down to once a month."
"And what about Jack?"
"Jack who?"
"Jack McCoy, my boyfriend," Claire said irritated, "don't you people keep track of this for my records?"
The doctor started flipping through all the pages in the file, "Jack...Jack McCoy...ah here he is! His last visit was May 23rd, 1998. We didn't contact him because he stopped visiting four years ago."
Jack not visit me? The thought brought tears to her eyes, doesn't he love me? Or has he moved on? Could he not cope with a comatose girlfriend?
"Do you want us to contact him?"
A tear ran down Claire's cheek, "No, he doesn't need somebody from his past walking back into his life."
They had taken the liberty of moving all her belongings from her apartment in New York City to the house Mac had retired to in up state New York. She moved in with them, she didn't have a choice, she didn't have a job to pay for an apartment. Besides, she was given a second chance at life, she needed to stabilize herself. She didn't need to worry about rent, utilities and food and by living with her mother and stepfather she could do that. Health wise, she was perfectly fine, like she had woken up from a six-year nap, earning her the nickname Rip Van Winkle. Mentally, she still could not accept the fact that six years had passed her by without her knowing.
Her mother showed her newspapers and news magazines from the past six years, told her about big events like Heaven's Gate, Columbine, the 2000 Presidential election and September 11th; but it didn't sink in. It was surreal to her, something never tangible.
Most of her possessions were in storage but in the corner of her room sat an unopened box. Curious about it, she got off of her bed and walked over to it, sat down on the floor beside it and opened it. It was filled with pictures that brought a flood of memories.
There was a picture of her and Jack in front of the Christmas tree at Anita's Christmas party. She was a little tipsy that night and for a good laugh she put a chair in front of the tree, then made Jack wear a Santa Clause hat and then had somebody take a picture of her sitting on his lap. Anita dismissed it as the two of them just having fun but he would have thought differently if she would have known that they went to Jack's apartment after the party.
She sighed as she looked at a different picture. It was a picture of her in Jack's shirt setting at his kitchen table and it was taken the morning after they had made love for the first time. She had gone home with him to look at some files in a more relaxing atmosphere. They had worked for about an hour before she had found herself between the sheets of his bed. She woke the next morning and put on his button up shirt on instead of her business suit. Jack thought it was amusing and wanted a picture of it.
She smiled softly at the next picture: it was a picture of Jack holding a fish from the fish market. She flipped it over and read the message he had written on it, "The two things you love just as much as justice: Sushi and me. Love, Jack". Tears started to form in her eyes when her mother opened the door to the room.
"Claire, do you want to go out to the little cafe for lunch?"
"I'm not hungry, mom," she turned so her mother couldn't see the tears.
"You're crying, Claire," her mom sat down beside her, "what's wrong?"
"I miss him, I still love him, I want him back! I want my old life back!"
Her mom sighed and took her daughter into her arms. She didn't know what to say.
"I wish I would have never come out of the coma!"
"Don't say that, Claire! You got a second chance at life, don't deny it."
"I don't know how great this second chance is," Claire said with frustration, "I missed six years, six years that will forever remain a mystery no matter how much I read about them. And then I have to live with the fact that my boyfriend stopped visiting me four years ago, obviously showing he doesn't love me anymore."
"You don't know if that's true or not!"
"I'm pretty sure it is."
"Have you asked him?"
"No, I haven't talked to him since I've been out of the coma."
Her mom stood up, "Well I think it's time you talk to him. Let me know when you want to eat," she walked out of the room.
Claire sat their a minute and then looked down at the picture of Jack and the fish, Can I really walk back into his life and act like nothing ever happened?
Chapter Three
"His credit card records are normal," Serena commented looking at a credit card bill.
"What about his bank account?" Jack asked.
"I haven't gone through that yet," Serena said pushing some of her hair behind her ear.
"Well go through that while I write the opening argument for the Miller case," Jack said grabbing his legal pad and pen.
Serena nodded and left him to write.
She stood outside the doors to the District Attorney building. She had worn a skirt and blouse and had pulled back her dark brown hair that had grown quite long, so she would blend in better. So many thoughts ran through her mind, she was trying to think of all possible reactions Jack would have. Can I really go through with this? She thought, going back in here might make me an emotional wreck. She took in a deep breath, released it and opened the door.
As soon as she closed the door she felt at home. The familiar hallways, the office smell of the building, it was like she had never been gone. She didn't recognize anybody, but then again she was sure several people had left within six years. She walked over to the elevator and pushed the up button, like it was second nature, and rode the elevator up and then stepped onto the floor that she had known better than her own apartment. She took in a deep breath and then looked around, nothing had changed, bringing a comforting thought. She walked down the hallway, the one she had walked down so many times, and stopped when it forked. She stood there a minute thinking, and then turned and walked into her old office.
A blond woman sat at the desk going through bank account files and did not even notice that she had walked in through the open door. Claire looked around the office, A New York University Law Degree hung in the place of her Harvard Law Degree and there were picture frames on top of the filing cabinets. The blond woman looked up from her files and jumped back in her chair, startled to see somebody standing in the doorway.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Claire apologized.
"It's OK," the woman said holding her hand on her chest and breathing hard. The woman recovered quickly and then stood up, "I'm Serena Southerlyn, Assistant District Attorney, how may I help you?"
Claire took in a deep breath, "Is Jack McCoy in?"
"He is, but let me go tell him you want to see him...and what is your name?"
Claire thought for a minute, "Just tell him there is somebody here to see him."
Serena looked at her peculiarly, "Wait right here," she knew that Jack would never see anybody without them giving their name. She walked over to Jack's office, knocked on the door and entered when he said yes.
"Serena, how may I help you?"
"Jack, there is some crazy woman here to see you."
"And how do you know she's crazy?"
"She walked into my office like she owned it, I only discovered her when I looked up. She refuses to give her name and she looks out of it, like she's been through a lot."
Jack sat there for a moment perplexed, "Well tell her I'm busy and that she can come back tomorrow," he went back to his writing.
Serena left his office and walked back to Claire, "He's busy but if you will come back tomorrow he will gladly see you. Good day." Serena walked back into her office and closed the door.
Claire walked back to the fork in the hallway and smirked, I'll just surprise him. She walked to Jack's office and opened then door.
Jack didn't even look up from his legal pad, "Serena, please leave me alone, I am busy. The crazy lady can come back tomorrow."
"Too busy even for me?"
Jack stopped writing, it had been forever since he had heard that voice, but he recognized it that very second. He looked up and his mouth dropped open in disbelief of who stood in his doorway.
"Well it's good to see some things don't change in six years," Claire walked over to his desk. His hair was now gray instead of salt and peppered colored and his face carried more wrinkles, but those same dark eyes watched her every move as they had done six years ago.
Jack stood up, but barely for his knees suddenly went weak, "Claire? Claire, is that really you?"
She walked behind his desk and stood in front of him, tears started to develop in her eyes, it had been so long since she was this close to him, "Yes, Jack, it's me."
Jack's mouth dropped open again and Claire lifted her trembling hand and pushed it closed. He was in disbelief, but for the first time in his life he didn't question it. He pulled Claire into his arms and embraced her so tight, she thought he would never let go. She looked up at him through her tear-filled eyes and saw that he too, had tears in his eyes.
"I can't believe it," he whispered, "I can't believe it."
Claire smiled, "Well, believe it."
Jack ran his hand down her cheek and then kissed her passionately.
Chapter Four
Claire sat on the leather couch in Jack's apartment with him sitting right beside her, like they used to. She told him how she just snapped out of the coma on the six-year anniversary, as if she was waking up from a nap, and was perfectly fine. She went on to tell him about moving to up state New York and living with her parents and how she was trying to learn as much as she could about the years she had missed.
"I have a lot of catching up to do," she admitted, "including my wardrobe. I was looking around at all the women in the District Attorney building and they were looking at me as if they were looking at an old fashion magazine."
Jack laughed lightly, "Don't worry about it, Claire, you look fine, even prettier than I remembered." He leaned back against the back of the couch and stretched his arms out, "How come you waited four months to let me know you were out of the coma?"
"How come you stopped visiting me in the hospital four years ago?" Claire asked, shocked at her quick comeback.
Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his gray hair.
"Was it because there is a new woman in your life?" Claire asked, but not even her calmness could hide the jealousy in her voice.
"No!" Jack exclaimed. "There hasn't been anybody since you."
Claire crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "How come I don't believe that, Jack "the womanizer" McCoy?"
"Well I did go on a couple of dates with a friend of Jamie's a couple of years ago, but nothing happened. Every time I was out with her I could only think about you and how we had never officially ended our relationship. I couldn't bring myself to keep dating her when I knew my girlfriend was in a coma."
"What about affairs with assistants? You have that young blond as an assistant...that's got to be hard to resist."
Jack laughed, "Me involved with Serena?! That will never happen. I'm too old and she's...well your stereotypical blond. I sometimes want to ask how in the Hell she passed the bar exam."
"Jack, that's really mean!" Claire exclaimed. "She seemed nice."
"She's nice but she's not the best assistant I've had since you had to leave."
Claire shifted her position on the couch, "You mean she's not the only assistant you've had since I left?"
"No, Serena makes number three," Jack got off the couch, walked over to one of his bookshelves and removed a photo album. He returned to the couch and opened the photo album. He pointed to a picture of him and a woman standing in front of what Claire recognized as Anita's Christmas tree, "This is Jamie Ross, she was the assistant that came after you. She's divorced and has a daughter but got remarried. Her daughter is why she left the DA's office, she was always in family court over custody battles and in order for her to get custody of her daughter she had to find a job that required less hours." Jack pointed to another picture, "There's her and her daughter. She was a good assistant but I'd have to say I had the most disagreements with her."
"Why was that?" Claire asked flipping through the photo album.
"We had different viewpoints of issues, plus she came in right after you accident. I took it personally because I thought of it as her taking your place instead of being my new assistant. But how else was I suppose to take it? The whole office found out about our affair because of the accident."
"Talk about adding insult to injury," Claire said dryly.
"That's not even half of it," Jack continued, "Adam told me if you hadn't gone into a coma he would have either fired one of us or had taken us both to the ethics committee."
Claire rolled her eyes, "Knowing Adam he would have just fired me. He never did like the way I did things. I really believe he only tolerated me because of you."
"Why do you say that, Claire?"
"You witnessed how many arguments I had with him. And when Ben was my Executive ADA I had even more friction with Adam. Ben didn't stick up for me like you did."
"But you weren't sleeping with Ben."
"True."
"So that's probably why he didn't stick up for you."
"So you would have never stuck up for me if I hadn't been sleeping with you?!"
"I didn't say that, Claire!"
Claire looked back down at the photo album, "Who's that?" she asked pointing at a picture of Jack with another woman.
"Ah...that is Abbie, or shall I say, Abigail Carmichael. Abbie is her nickname."
"Kind of like Jack is your nickname, John James McCoy?"
Jack looked at Claire seriously, "You of all people know better than to call me that. But anyway, about Abbie. She was a great assistant, we were on the same wavelength and she was a real bitch, and I mean that in a good way. She was basically the female version of me."
Claire laughed, "I can't believe I missed that!"
"Yeah, she was great, we got a lot accomplished. She left last year and Serena took her place." Jack pointed at a picture of an older woman standing with a man at what looked like a charity party, "This is Nora Lewin and her husband. She's been DA for two years. Adam decided it was time to retire and didn't go up for re-election. He now does Holocaust memorial work."
Both sat in silence for a minute for Jack was done talking about what had happened in the DA's office in Claire's absence.
"Well it's been an enjoyable evening, Jack but I need to go and find myself a hotel room," Claire stood up.
"Don't go, Claire," Jack stood up beside her. He took her hands into his, "Stay the night here."
"Jack, it's too soon. I'm still trying to sort things out about my life and the six years I missed. And as much as I love you I don't need to be getting physically involved with anybody at this point."
"I didn't mean that, Claire," Jack said annoyed, "I meant stay here instead of getting a hotel room that way you won't have to pay any money...and I'll get to see you longer. You can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."
Claire smiled, "Let me go get my bag from my car," she kissed him on the cheek, "I'll be right back."
She laid comfortably between the sheets of Jack's bed. They smelt of him and made it seem as though nothing had changed. But everything had changed, even he had changed. She still loved him greatly and after their conversation, she knew he still felt the same and that he would take her back into his life in a heartbeat. But can we just pick up where we left off? She thought, I don't think I can though, for my life isn't what it used to be six years ago.
She stayed in the city for a week, a lot longer that she had planned to. She had only planned to stay a day or two, enough time to see Jack so he knew she was out of the coma, but she couldn't say no to his pleas. He took her shopping for clothes, since she had only brought two outfits, treated her to all her favorite restaurants, cooked her breakfast every morning and on the days he was in court house she came along and watched.
"So what do Serena and Nora think of me?" Claire asked sitting on the couch, cuddled in Jack's arms.
"Nora wants you back in the DA's office," Jack said rubbing his hand up and down Claire's arms, caressing it, "She went back and looked through your file and saw how hard of a worker you were."
"She probably had some help from you."
"Nope, none at all," Jack looked down at Claire seriously, "she told me she's willing to hire you back, since the circumstances in which left were weird."
Claire sighed, "I don't think I could go back, Jack."
"And why not?"
"I'd have six years of laws to catch up on, bar fees to catch up on, no place to live..."
"You can live here. What do you have to lose? You can't live with your parents forever."
She knew he spoke the truth, but what she wanted to do with it she wasn't quite sure. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and she buried her face into his chest.
"Claire, what's wrong?"
"Hold me, Jack. Just hold me."
He pulled her closer and ran his hand up and down her back, trying to comfort even though he didn't know what was wrong, "Did I say something without realizing it?"
She looked up at him and ran her fingers through his gray hair. She did not know what she wanted to say and even if she did, she wouldn't have be able to put it into words. She instead kissed him passionately. He returned it with warmth and tenderness but pulled away when she started working with the buttons on his shirt.
"Claire, I thought you said you couldn't be physically involved with anybody right now. And as much as I'd love to make love, I instead want to respect your wish."
"Jack, so much has changed! It's like aliens abducted me and dropped me on another planet. You're the only thing that hasn't changed and sometimes I can't believe it. Make love with me, Jack, get rid of the doubt I have."
Jack ran his hand down her face, "Claire, I have changed. I'm older, more set in my ways than ever."
"Exactly!" Claire exclaimed. "I need that," she started kissing his neck, "please Jack, please."
Part of him wanted to say no, he could tell she wasn't completely emotionally stable and making love just might push her further away from stability. The other part wanted to say yes, after all, it had been six years since he had held her bare body in his arms, smelt her sweet smelling sweat and caressed her soft skin. He finally gave in to her pleas and carried her in his arms to his bedroom.
While they made love Claire wanted to cry but she did not for she knew if she did Jack would stop. His lovemaking was wonderful, not a thing different about it and that was what made her want to cry. It reminded her of the past they had had together, the six years she had missed with him and the rest of the world and the present and future she was unsure about.
Jack achieved orgasm but when he withdrew he did not look satisfied, "Claire, what's the matter? It's like you're a million miles away. Did you even cum?"
Claire smiled at him and ran the back of her hand down his face, but he could still sense something was wrong.
"I knew this was a bad idea," Jack said disgusted as he rolled so he wasn't facing Claire.
Claire laid there a minute blinking her tears away before she turned and took Jack into her arms, "Hold me, Jack. Just hold me."
Jack turned and looked at Claire. He didn't know what was wrong with her, but whatever it was he was going to help her through it. He took her into his arms and kissed her, trying to reassure her it was going to be OK.
Chapter Five
He woke the next morning to find himself alone in the bed. He assumed she was in the kitchen fixing herself breakfast or out in the living room watching TV and thought nothing of it. He took a shower but when he returned to his room to dress he noticed all her belongings were gone. He walked out into the living room, "Claire," he called. No reply. He looked out the window and saw the guest spot in which her car had been parked in was empty. He plopped down onto the couch and sighed, "She could have at least left me a note."
"Jack, what's wrong? You look like you had a rough night," Serena sat down at the conference table in his office. They were getting ready to have a meeting with the defense attorney and the defendant.
"More like a rough night and morning," Jack tightened his tie.
"What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Jack said in his annoyed tone, "I leave my personal problems at home."
"No you don't," Serena said smirking, "It's Claire isn't it? She's been the only thing on your mind lately."
Jack didn't say anything, he just started looking through files.
"Jack, you can tell me," Serena said, "you'll feel better if you tell somebody."
"Claire left me in the middle of the night if you must know. Now can we get to work?"
Serena looked at Jack and she could tell how upset he was over this, "I'm sorry, Jack. Why did she leave?"
"I don't know, I really don't know," Jack said vexed, "she hadn't been herself at all the whole time she was here. She's still sorting out things about her life because it's not the same life she had six years ago. And I think being with me made that reality hit her hard."
There was a knock at the door and the defense lawyer and defendant entered causing them to drop the conversation.
She had fled back to her mother and stepfather and decided never to return to New York City or Jack again. She had been given a second chance and she decided a second chance meant to start all over, not pick up where you had left off. She got a job as a cashier at the local supermarket, it was a job she had to fight for though. The manager kept telling her having a Harvard Law Degree was way over qualified to ring up groceries, but once she told her story they hired her. She lived with her parents but now paid room and board and the couple of friends she had made would go out with her to the local bar on Friday nights.
He had other plans though, plans that he knew would work for he was a determined man. She just couldn't walk back into his life and then leave. He loved her greatly, more than any other woman he had loved in his life and he was going to spend the rest of his life with her no matter what it took. He was also going to help her get a fulfilling job, using her law degree, and pull her back into the life where she belonged.
"So is this what a Harvard Law Degree gets you these days?" He asked.
She looked up from her cash register shocked to see who was standing in front of her, "Jack! What are you doing here?"
"I figured if you won't come to me, I'll come to you."
She rang up the sandwich he was buying, "Jack, go away! I never want to see you again."
"Well that's going to be a bit of a problem taking I plan to spend the rest of my life with you."
"Jack, I left you for good reasons," Claire rang up his bag of chips, "I can't go back to my old life, Jack and being with you made me realize that. Six years have gone by, I can't just pick up where I left off," she rang up his bottle of soda, "I need to start over."
"And ringing up groceries is a great way to start over," Jack said sarcastically, "Claire, I know you better than that. There is no way in Hell this is fulfilling to you."
"Actually it is, Jack. This is my new life and I enjoy it."
Jack knew she was lying, "And let me guess: you're going to marry the assistant manager and you'll both move up in the supermarket world together."
"Tomas, isn't that bad of a guy," Claire informed, "He isn't a dick like somebody I know."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Jack was getting annoyed.
Claire pushed a button on the register, turned to face Jack and put one hand on her hip, "That'll be $5.75."
He handed her a ten and she gave him change. She then put his things in a plastic bag and handed it to him, "Have a nice day, Mr. McCoy."
He walked out to his motorcycle with a smirk on his face. He could tell he had gotten under her skin.
"I'm home," Claire called closing the door behind her. She walked into her room and sat her purse on her bed and the walked out into the dining room where she was greeted by her mother, stepfather and Jack sitting at the table eating.
"What is he doing here?" Claire asked pointing at Jack.
"He came up to see you, sweetie," Her mother informed, "we're letting him stay here."
"Your mom makes wonderful mashed potatoes, Claire," Jack held up his fork with mashed potatoes on them.
Claire rolled her eyes, "I can't eat with him."
"Claire!" Her mother exclaimed. "Is that anyway to treat your boyfriend?"
"Yes, taking he's not my boyfriend!" Claire exclaimed.
Jack got up from his seat, "Claire, may I speak with you outside?"
"Sure, I guess," she said following him out the front door.
"Claire, why are you doing this to yourself?" Jack asked. "You know working at a grocery store isn't fulfilling, you know you want to move back to New York City. Why do you keep trying to tell yourself you don't?"
"Jack, this is my life now, why can't you get that through your head?" Claire asked putting her hands on her hips, "Sure, it's not as fulfilling as criminal justice, but criminal justice is my past..."
"And employee of the month is your future," Jack said dryly.
"And do you have a problem with that?"
"Actually, I do for you deserve better."
Claire looked at him for a minute. She had never seen him so determined on anything except trials.
"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" She asked pushing away some stray hair.
"No," he took her hands into his, "Claire, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to marry me."
"Is that a command?"
"Yes. Would you rather it be a question?"
"Well asking is the tradition."
"Well fine then," Jack got down on one knee, "Will you marry me, Claire? It's the ultimate plea bargain."
Claire laughed at his joke but then looked down at him. It was like his hard shell had been shattered into a thousand pieces, reveling the soft sensitive guy that was underneath. She held all the power. So many thoughts ran through her mind: thoughts of her past, present and future. She couldn't change the fact that she could never have back those six years she had missed, but she could change her future and Jack was right, employee of the month wasn't her ideal future. She took in a deep breath and let out her answer.
Chapter Six
One year later...
"I am so glad to have you back in the DA's office, Miss Kincaid," Nora said smiling, "or shall I say Mrs. McCoy?"
Claire smiled. Everybody in the office was anxious to call her Mrs. McCoy, "Technically it's Kincaid-McCoy but you can call me Claire. And thank you, it's so nice to back."
"I'm sorry you can't work with your husband but I think it's better that you don't," Nora said, "besides Mr. Matthew Willard here is also a wonderful Executive ADA."
Claire smiled at the man that was sitting in the chair beside her. He was Matthew Willard, her new partner, "And I'm sure he is."
Matthew stood up, "Come on, Mrs. McCoy we have a case to get started on."
Claire stood up and walked out of Nora's office with her new partner. She couldn't wait to get working on a case.
She knocked on Jack's office door and then opened it, "Mr. McCoy are you ready to go home?"
"Let me get my jacket on, Mrs. McCoy."
Claire smiled as she watched her husband put on his jacket and grab his briefcase. He turned off the lights in his office and closed and locked the door behind him. He took his wife's hand and they smiled at each other.
Claire couldn't have been happier. She had tied her past and future together in a tight knot by marrying Jack. She knew Jack's age didn't allow them a long time together but then she thought for a minute. If six years could feel like a lifetime, her and Jack might as well be together for eternity.
The End.
Six years. A lot happens in six years, more than people want to accept. Babies are born, people die, fashion changes, music changes, the economy changes. Then there are things that never change: sex, lying, cheating, theft, murder, greed. In her mind it was still 1996 and in his it was 2002, but 1996 would forever be imprinted in his mind. 1996 would have been any other year for him, if it hadn't been for the accident, the accident that changed his life.
"Jack," Serena entered his office.
He didn't even hear her enter nor did he really care, not today at least. It was the six-year anniversary of the accident. Six years Claire had been in a coma with no signs of recovery. He had stopped visiting her after two years for he couldn't stand to see her like that, a Sleeping Beauty that would not wake no matter how passionate his kissed her.
"Jack, are we going to look at those files?" Serena asked.
Jack turned around from looking out the window and looked at Serena. He sometimes wondered how she ever got through law school.
"Jack, what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself."
"It's been six years today."
"Six years since what?"
Oh yeah, he thought, I'm the only one in this office that was here when it happened. Nobody talked about Claire anymore, not even the old stories and rumors were told.
"Don't worry about it, it doesn't mean anything to you."
"It might if you tell me," Serena said. Jack was obscure to her. She wanted to know him on a personal level but he never opened up to her.
"Let's go through the files, Serena," Jack said.
Serena looked at him intensely, she knew he was hiding something, "Jack, please tell me."
"The files," Jack commanded.
"They're in my office, I'll go get them," Serena left.
Jack sat alone at a small circular table at the Italian cafe that was only a couple of streets down from the District Attorney's office. He was sipping on a glass of iced tea when Lennie Briscoe walked up to him.
"Is this seat for me?" Lennie asked.
"Of course," Jack informed watching Lennie as he sat down.
"It's been six years today since it happened and I still don't go one damn day without thinking about it," Lennie said bitterly, "and it's my fault, my fault!"
The waiter walked up to them, "Would either of you want a glass of our white wine?"
"No!" Jack and Lennie exclaimed simultaneously. Both of them always swore off alcohol on the anniversary of the accident. They both ordered and sat in silence for a minute.
"If I hadn't gotten drunk that night, she would have never offered to take me home," Lennie said disgusted at himself.
"And if I hadn't grown impatient I would have actually waited for her to pick me up," Jack said, "I know it's not my fault, it's the drunken bastard that hit her's fault, but deep down inside I still feel somewhat responsible. I loved her, Lennie, I actually loved her."
"Then why did you stop visiting her?," Lennie asked.
"I can't stand to see her like that," Jack said taking a drink of his tea, "you know that, Lennie"
"Yeah I know, but talking to her might make you feel better."
"It might, but she wouldn't hear it. Comatose people don't hear anything."
However, this was not true. At that same very moment she could hear the respirator she was hooked up to and voices down the corridor. She could also hear her own thoughts loud and clear, Open your eyes, you're awake. Where am I? What's going on? She opened her eyes, something she had not done in six years, something she would have forgotten how to do if it wasn't natural. She looked around the dark room perplexed at why she was in a hospital room, hooked up to a respirator. She removed the respirator from her mouth and nose, it was suffocating not being able to breathe when she wanted to. The machine started to beep loudly, indicating something wrong, and within ten seconds her room was filled with doctors and nurses. They all stopped short at the bedside, stunned to see her breathing on her own and her eyes open.
Chapter Two
"What is your name?" A woman doctor asked standing at the bedside with a file and pen.
"Claire Kincaid, but why are you asking? Why am I here?"
"And what year were you born?"
"1966."
"What is your job?"
"I'm an Assistant District Attorney and while I'm talking about that, I'm working on an important case right now so I would like to get back to work," Claire answered impatiently.
"I'm sorry, Claire, but I can't let you go," the doctor said writing.
"And why not? And you still haven't told me why I am here. I would really like to know what is going on."
The doctor looked at Claire through her glasses, "There is no way to tell you this nicely. You were in an automobile accident. You suffered some severe injuries and because of them you have been in a coma for the past six years."
Claire looked at her in disbelief, "I've been in a coma for six years? It's not longer 1996?"
"No, it's 2002," the doctor said sweetly trying to tone down the shock this news was bringing.
"What type of accident was it?"
"According to the report, you were taking your friend Detective Lennie Briscoe home when a drunk driver hit your car. You suffered a concussion that led to the coma and several cuts and bruises. Everybody is still in awe that you came out of the coma, a coma that we thought gave you no chance of recovery, on the anniversary of the accident. We can't explain it."
Claire sat there perplexed. She did not remember the accident, she remembered offering Lennie a ride home and that she was mad that Jack didn't wait for her, "I don't remember being in an accident."
"You wouldn't, you were knocked unconscious as soon at the car hit you."
"Where's my family? Where's Jack?" Claire asked. She wanted familiar faces, this was too much for her.
"Your family has been notified, they should be here later today. They were so shocked at the news. They were so sure you would never come out of the coma, so for the past two years they cut their visits down to once a month."
"And what about Jack?"
"Jack who?"
"Jack McCoy, my boyfriend," Claire said irritated, "don't you people keep track of this for my records?"
The doctor started flipping through all the pages in the file, "Jack...Jack McCoy...ah here he is! His last visit was May 23rd, 1998. We didn't contact him because he stopped visiting four years ago."
Jack not visit me? The thought brought tears to her eyes, doesn't he love me? Or has he moved on? Could he not cope with a comatose girlfriend?
"Do you want us to contact him?"
A tear ran down Claire's cheek, "No, he doesn't need somebody from his past walking back into his life."
They had taken the liberty of moving all her belongings from her apartment in New York City to the house Mac had retired to in up state New York. She moved in with them, she didn't have a choice, she didn't have a job to pay for an apartment. Besides, she was given a second chance at life, she needed to stabilize herself. She didn't need to worry about rent, utilities and food and by living with her mother and stepfather she could do that. Health wise, she was perfectly fine, like she had woken up from a six-year nap, earning her the nickname Rip Van Winkle. Mentally, she still could not accept the fact that six years had passed her by without her knowing.
Her mother showed her newspapers and news magazines from the past six years, told her about big events like Heaven's Gate, Columbine, the 2000 Presidential election and September 11th; but it didn't sink in. It was surreal to her, something never tangible.
Most of her possessions were in storage but in the corner of her room sat an unopened box. Curious about it, she got off of her bed and walked over to it, sat down on the floor beside it and opened it. It was filled with pictures that brought a flood of memories.
There was a picture of her and Jack in front of the Christmas tree at Anita's Christmas party. She was a little tipsy that night and for a good laugh she put a chair in front of the tree, then made Jack wear a Santa Clause hat and then had somebody take a picture of her sitting on his lap. Anita dismissed it as the two of them just having fun but he would have thought differently if she would have known that they went to Jack's apartment after the party.
She sighed as she looked at a different picture. It was a picture of her in Jack's shirt setting at his kitchen table and it was taken the morning after they had made love for the first time. She had gone home with him to look at some files in a more relaxing atmosphere. They had worked for about an hour before she had found herself between the sheets of his bed. She woke the next morning and put on his button up shirt on instead of her business suit. Jack thought it was amusing and wanted a picture of it.
She smiled softly at the next picture: it was a picture of Jack holding a fish from the fish market. She flipped it over and read the message he had written on it, "The two things you love just as much as justice: Sushi and me. Love, Jack". Tears started to form in her eyes when her mother opened the door to the room.
"Claire, do you want to go out to the little cafe for lunch?"
"I'm not hungry, mom," she turned so her mother couldn't see the tears.
"You're crying, Claire," her mom sat down beside her, "what's wrong?"
"I miss him, I still love him, I want him back! I want my old life back!"
Her mom sighed and took her daughter into her arms. She didn't know what to say.
"I wish I would have never come out of the coma!"
"Don't say that, Claire! You got a second chance at life, don't deny it."
"I don't know how great this second chance is," Claire said with frustration, "I missed six years, six years that will forever remain a mystery no matter how much I read about them. And then I have to live with the fact that my boyfriend stopped visiting me four years ago, obviously showing he doesn't love me anymore."
"You don't know if that's true or not!"
"I'm pretty sure it is."
"Have you asked him?"
"No, I haven't talked to him since I've been out of the coma."
Her mom stood up, "Well I think it's time you talk to him. Let me know when you want to eat," she walked out of the room.
Claire sat their a minute and then looked down at the picture of Jack and the fish, Can I really walk back into his life and act like nothing ever happened?
Chapter Three
"His credit card records are normal," Serena commented looking at a credit card bill.
"What about his bank account?" Jack asked.
"I haven't gone through that yet," Serena said pushing some of her hair behind her ear.
"Well go through that while I write the opening argument for the Miller case," Jack said grabbing his legal pad and pen.
Serena nodded and left him to write.
She stood outside the doors to the District Attorney building. She had worn a skirt and blouse and had pulled back her dark brown hair that had grown quite long, so she would blend in better. So many thoughts ran through her mind, she was trying to think of all possible reactions Jack would have. Can I really go through with this? She thought, going back in here might make me an emotional wreck. She took in a deep breath, released it and opened the door.
As soon as she closed the door she felt at home. The familiar hallways, the office smell of the building, it was like she had never been gone. She didn't recognize anybody, but then again she was sure several people had left within six years. She walked over to the elevator and pushed the up button, like it was second nature, and rode the elevator up and then stepped onto the floor that she had known better than her own apartment. She took in a deep breath and then looked around, nothing had changed, bringing a comforting thought. She walked down the hallway, the one she had walked down so many times, and stopped when it forked. She stood there a minute thinking, and then turned and walked into her old office.
A blond woman sat at the desk going through bank account files and did not even notice that she had walked in through the open door. Claire looked around the office, A New York University Law Degree hung in the place of her Harvard Law Degree and there were picture frames on top of the filing cabinets. The blond woman looked up from her files and jumped back in her chair, startled to see somebody standing in the doorway.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Claire apologized.
"It's OK," the woman said holding her hand on her chest and breathing hard. The woman recovered quickly and then stood up, "I'm Serena Southerlyn, Assistant District Attorney, how may I help you?"
Claire took in a deep breath, "Is Jack McCoy in?"
"He is, but let me go tell him you want to see him...and what is your name?"
Claire thought for a minute, "Just tell him there is somebody here to see him."
Serena looked at her peculiarly, "Wait right here," she knew that Jack would never see anybody without them giving their name. She walked over to Jack's office, knocked on the door and entered when he said yes.
"Serena, how may I help you?"
"Jack, there is some crazy woman here to see you."
"And how do you know she's crazy?"
"She walked into my office like she owned it, I only discovered her when I looked up. She refuses to give her name and she looks out of it, like she's been through a lot."
Jack sat there for a moment perplexed, "Well tell her I'm busy and that she can come back tomorrow," he went back to his writing.
Serena left his office and walked back to Claire, "He's busy but if you will come back tomorrow he will gladly see you. Good day." Serena walked back into her office and closed the door.
Claire walked back to the fork in the hallway and smirked, I'll just surprise him. She walked to Jack's office and opened then door.
Jack didn't even look up from his legal pad, "Serena, please leave me alone, I am busy. The crazy lady can come back tomorrow."
"Too busy even for me?"
Jack stopped writing, it had been forever since he had heard that voice, but he recognized it that very second. He looked up and his mouth dropped open in disbelief of who stood in his doorway.
"Well it's good to see some things don't change in six years," Claire walked over to his desk. His hair was now gray instead of salt and peppered colored and his face carried more wrinkles, but those same dark eyes watched her every move as they had done six years ago.
Jack stood up, but barely for his knees suddenly went weak, "Claire? Claire, is that really you?"
She walked behind his desk and stood in front of him, tears started to develop in her eyes, it had been so long since she was this close to him, "Yes, Jack, it's me."
Jack's mouth dropped open again and Claire lifted her trembling hand and pushed it closed. He was in disbelief, but for the first time in his life he didn't question it. He pulled Claire into his arms and embraced her so tight, she thought he would never let go. She looked up at him through her tear-filled eyes and saw that he too, had tears in his eyes.
"I can't believe it," he whispered, "I can't believe it."
Claire smiled, "Well, believe it."
Jack ran his hand down her cheek and then kissed her passionately.
Chapter Four
Claire sat on the leather couch in Jack's apartment with him sitting right beside her, like they used to. She told him how she just snapped out of the coma on the six-year anniversary, as if she was waking up from a nap, and was perfectly fine. She went on to tell him about moving to up state New York and living with her parents and how she was trying to learn as much as she could about the years she had missed.
"I have a lot of catching up to do," she admitted, "including my wardrobe. I was looking around at all the women in the District Attorney building and they were looking at me as if they were looking at an old fashion magazine."
Jack laughed lightly, "Don't worry about it, Claire, you look fine, even prettier than I remembered." He leaned back against the back of the couch and stretched his arms out, "How come you waited four months to let me know you were out of the coma?"
"How come you stopped visiting me in the hospital four years ago?" Claire asked, shocked at her quick comeback.
Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his gray hair.
"Was it because there is a new woman in your life?" Claire asked, but not even her calmness could hide the jealousy in her voice.
"No!" Jack exclaimed. "There hasn't been anybody since you."
Claire crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "How come I don't believe that, Jack "the womanizer" McCoy?"
"Well I did go on a couple of dates with a friend of Jamie's a couple of years ago, but nothing happened. Every time I was out with her I could only think about you and how we had never officially ended our relationship. I couldn't bring myself to keep dating her when I knew my girlfriend was in a coma."
"What about affairs with assistants? You have that young blond as an assistant...that's got to be hard to resist."
Jack laughed, "Me involved with Serena?! That will never happen. I'm too old and she's...well your stereotypical blond. I sometimes want to ask how in the Hell she passed the bar exam."
"Jack, that's really mean!" Claire exclaimed. "She seemed nice."
"She's nice but she's not the best assistant I've had since you had to leave."
Claire shifted her position on the couch, "You mean she's not the only assistant you've had since I left?"
"No, Serena makes number three," Jack got off the couch, walked over to one of his bookshelves and removed a photo album. He returned to the couch and opened the photo album. He pointed to a picture of him and a woman standing in front of what Claire recognized as Anita's Christmas tree, "This is Jamie Ross, she was the assistant that came after you. She's divorced and has a daughter but got remarried. Her daughter is why she left the DA's office, she was always in family court over custody battles and in order for her to get custody of her daughter she had to find a job that required less hours." Jack pointed to another picture, "There's her and her daughter. She was a good assistant but I'd have to say I had the most disagreements with her."
"Why was that?" Claire asked flipping through the photo album.
"We had different viewpoints of issues, plus she came in right after you accident. I took it personally because I thought of it as her taking your place instead of being my new assistant. But how else was I suppose to take it? The whole office found out about our affair because of the accident."
"Talk about adding insult to injury," Claire said dryly.
"That's not even half of it," Jack continued, "Adam told me if you hadn't gone into a coma he would have either fired one of us or had taken us both to the ethics committee."
Claire rolled her eyes, "Knowing Adam he would have just fired me. He never did like the way I did things. I really believe he only tolerated me because of you."
"Why do you say that, Claire?"
"You witnessed how many arguments I had with him. And when Ben was my Executive ADA I had even more friction with Adam. Ben didn't stick up for me like you did."
"But you weren't sleeping with Ben."
"True."
"So that's probably why he didn't stick up for you."
"So you would have never stuck up for me if I hadn't been sleeping with you?!"
"I didn't say that, Claire!"
Claire looked back down at the photo album, "Who's that?" she asked pointing at a picture of Jack with another woman.
"Ah...that is Abbie, or shall I say, Abigail Carmichael. Abbie is her nickname."
"Kind of like Jack is your nickname, John James McCoy?"
Jack looked at Claire seriously, "You of all people know better than to call me that. But anyway, about Abbie. She was a great assistant, we were on the same wavelength and she was a real bitch, and I mean that in a good way. She was basically the female version of me."
Claire laughed, "I can't believe I missed that!"
"Yeah, she was great, we got a lot accomplished. She left last year and Serena took her place." Jack pointed at a picture of an older woman standing with a man at what looked like a charity party, "This is Nora Lewin and her husband. She's been DA for two years. Adam decided it was time to retire and didn't go up for re-election. He now does Holocaust memorial work."
Both sat in silence for a minute for Jack was done talking about what had happened in the DA's office in Claire's absence.
"Well it's been an enjoyable evening, Jack but I need to go and find myself a hotel room," Claire stood up.
"Don't go, Claire," Jack stood up beside her. He took her hands into his, "Stay the night here."
"Jack, it's too soon. I'm still trying to sort things out about my life and the six years I missed. And as much as I love you I don't need to be getting physically involved with anybody at this point."
"I didn't mean that, Claire," Jack said annoyed, "I meant stay here instead of getting a hotel room that way you won't have to pay any money...and I'll get to see you longer. You can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."
Claire smiled, "Let me go get my bag from my car," she kissed him on the cheek, "I'll be right back."
She laid comfortably between the sheets of Jack's bed. They smelt of him and made it seem as though nothing had changed. But everything had changed, even he had changed. She still loved him greatly and after their conversation, she knew he still felt the same and that he would take her back into his life in a heartbeat. But can we just pick up where we left off? She thought, I don't think I can though, for my life isn't what it used to be six years ago.
She stayed in the city for a week, a lot longer that she had planned to. She had only planned to stay a day or two, enough time to see Jack so he knew she was out of the coma, but she couldn't say no to his pleas. He took her shopping for clothes, since she had only brought two outfits, treated her to all her favorite restaurants, cooked her breakfast every morning and on the days he was in court house she came along and watched.
"So what do Serena and Nora think of me?" Claire asked sitting on the couch, cuddled in Jack's arms.
"Nora wants you back in the DA's office," Jack said rubbing his hand up and down Claire's arms, caressing it, "She went back and looked through your file and saw how hard of a worker you were."
"She probably had some help from you."
"Nope, none at all," Jack looked down at Claire seriously, "she told me she's willing to hire you back, since the circumstances in which left were weird."
Claire sighed, "I don't think I could go back, Jack."
"And why not?"
"I'd have six years of laws to catch up on, bar fees to catch up on, no place to live..."
"You can live here. What do you have to lose? You can't live with your parents forever."
She knew he spoke the truth, but what she wanted to do with it she wasn't quite sure. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and she buried her face into his chest.
"Claire, what's wrong?"
"Hold me, Jack. Just hold me."
He pulled her closer and ran his hand up and down her back, trying to comfort even though he didn't know what was wrong, "Did I say something without realizing it?"
She looked up at him and ran her fingers through his gray hair. She did not know what she wanted to say and even if she did, she wouldn't have be able to put it into words. She instead kissed him passionately. He returned it with warmth and tenderness but pulled away when she started working with the buttons on his shirt.
"Claire, I thought you said you couldn't be physically involved with anybody right now. And as much as I'd love to make love, I instead want to respect your wish."
"Jack, so much has changed! It's like aliens abducted me and dropped me on another planet. You're the only thing that hasn't changed and sometimes I can't believe it. Make love with me, Jack, get rid of the doubt I have."
Jack ran his hand down her face, "Claire, I have changed. I'm older, more set in my ways than ever."
"Exactly!" Claire exclaimed. "I need that," she started kissing his neck, "please Jack, please."
Part of him wanted to say no, he could tell she wasn't completely emotionally stable and making love just might push her further away from stability. The other part wanted to say yes, after all, it had been six years since he had held her bare body in his arms, smelt her sweet smelling sweat and caressed her soft skin. He finally gave in to her pleas and carried her in his arms to his bedroom.
While they made love Claire wanted to cry but she did not for she knew if she did Jack would stop. His lovemaking was wonderful, not a thing different about it and that was what made her want to cry. It reminded her of the past they had had together, the six years she had missed with him and the rest of the world and the present and future she was unsure about.
Jack achieved orgasm but when he withdrew he did not look satisfied, "Claire, what's the matter? It's like you're a million miles away. Did you even cum?"
Claire smiled at him and ran the back of her hand down his face, but he could still sense something was wrong.
"I knew this was a bad idea," Jack said disgusted as he rolled so he wasn't facing Claire.
Claire laid there a minute blinking her tears away before she turned and took Jack into her arms, "Hold me, Jack. Just hold me."
Jack turned and looked at Claire. He didn't know what was wrong with her, but whatever it was he was going to help her through it. He took her into his arms and kissed her, trying to reassure her it was going to be OK.
Chapter Five
He woke the next morning to find himself alone in the bed. He assumed she was in the kitchen fixing herself breakfast or out in the living room watching TV and thought nothing of it. He took a shower but when he returned to his room to dress he noticed all her belongings were gone. He walked out into the living room, "Claire," he called. No reply. He looked out the window and saw the guest spot in which her car had been parked in was empty. He plopped down onto the couch and sighed, "She could have at least left me a note."
"Jack, what's wrong? You look like you had a rough night," Serena sat down at the conference table in his office. They were getting ready to have a meeting with the defense attorney and the defendant.
"More like a rough night and morning," Jack tightened his tie.
"What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Jack said in his annoyed tone, "I leave my personal problems at home."
"No you don't," Serena said smirking, "It's Claire isn't it? She's been the only thing on your mind lately."
Jack didn't say anything, he just started looking through files.
"Jack, you can tell me," Serena said, "you'll feel better if you tell somebody."
"Claire left me in the middle of the night if you must know. Now can we get to work?"
Serena looked at Jack and she could tell how upset he was over this, "I'm sorry, Jack. Why did she leave?"
"I don't know, I really don't know," Jack said vexed, "she hadn't been herself at all the whole time she was here. She's still sorting out things about her life because it's not the same life she had six years ago. And I think being with me made that reality hit her hard."
There was a knock at the door and the defense lawyer and defendant entered causing them to drop the conversation.
She had fled back to her mother and stepfather and decided never to return to New York City or Jack again. She had been given a second chance and she decided a second chance meant to start all over, not pick up where you had left off. She got a job as a cashier at the local supermarket, it was a job she had to fight for though. The manager kept telling her having a Harvard Law Degree was way over qualified to ring up groceries, but once she told her story they hired her. She lived with her parents but now paid room and board and the couple of friends she had made would go out with her to the local bar on Friday nights.
He had other plans though, plans that he knew would work for he was a determined man. She just couldn't walk back into his life and then leave. He loved her greatly, more than any other woman he had loved in his life and he was going to spend the rest of his life with her no matter what it took. He was also going to help her get a fulfilling job, using her law degree, and pull her back into the life where she belonged.
"So is this what a Harvard Law Degree gets you these days?" He asked.
She looked up from her cash register shocked to see who was standing in front of her, "Jack! What are you doing here?"
"I figured if you won't come to me, I'll come to you."
She rang up the sandwich he was buying, "Jack, go away! I never want to see you again."
"Well that's going to be a bit of a problem taking I plan to spend the rest of my life with you."
"Jack, I left you for good reasons," Claire rang up his bag of chips, "I can't go back to my old life, Jack and being with you made me realize that. Six years have gone by, I can't just pick up where I left off," she rang up his bottle of soda, "I need to start over."
"And ringing up groceries is a great way to start over," Jack said sarcastically, "Claire, I know you better than that. There is no way in Hell this is fulfilling to you."
"Actually it is, Jack. This is my new life and I enjoy it."
Jack knew she was lying, "And let me guess: you're going to marry the assistant manager and you'll both move up in the supermarket world together."
"Tomas, isn't that bad of a guy," Claire informed, "He isn't a dick like somebody I know."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Jack was getting annoyed.
Claire pushed a button on the register, turned to face Jack and put one hand on her hip, "That'll be $5.75."
He handed her a ten and she gave him change. She then put his things in a plastic bag and handed it to him, "Have a nice day, Mr. McCoy."
He walked out to his motorcycle with a smirk on his face. He could tell he had gotten under her skin.
"I'm home," Claire called closing the door behind her. She walked into her room and sat her purse on her bed and the walked out into the dining room where she was greeted by her mother, stepfather and Jack sitting at the table eating.
"What is he doing here?" Claire asked pointing at Jack.
"He came up to see you, sweetie," Her mother informed, "we're letting him stay here."
"Your mom makes wonderful mashed potatoes, Claire," Jack held up his fork with mashed potatoes on them.
Claire rolled her eyes, "I can't eat with him."
"Claire!" Her mother exclaimed. "Is that anyway to treat your boyfriend?"
"Yes, taking he's not my boyfriend!" Claire exclaimed.
Jack got up from his seat, "Claire, may I speak with you outside?"
"Sure, I guess," she said following him out the front door.
"Claire, why are you doing this to yourself?" Jack asked. "You know working at a grocery store isn't fulfilling, you know you want to move back to New York City. Why do you keep trying to tell yourself you don't?"
"Jack, this is my life now, why can't you get that through your head?" Claire asked putting her hands on her hips, "Sure, it's not as fulfilling as criminal justice, but criminal justice is my past..."
"And employee of the month is your future," Jack said dryly.
"And do you have a problem with that?"
"Actually, I do for you deserve better."
Claire looked at him for a minute. She had never seen him so determined on anything except trials.
"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" She asked pushing away some stray hair.
"No," he took her hands into his, "Claire, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to marry me."
"Is that a command?"
"Yes. Would you rather it be a question?"
"Well asking is the tradition."
"Well fine then," Jack got down on one knee, "Will you marry me, Claire? It's the ultimate plea bargain."
Claire laughed at his joke but then looked down at him. It was like his hard shell had been shattered into a thousand pieces, reveling the soft sensitive guy that was underneath. She held all the power. So many thoughts ran through her mind: thoughts of her past, present and future. She couldn't change the fact that she could never have back those six years she had missed, but she could change her future and Jack was right, employee of the month wasn't her ideal future. She took in a deep breath and let out her answer.
Chapter Six
One year later...
"I am so glad to have you back in the DA's office, Miss Kincaid," Nora said smiling, "or shall I say Mrs. McCoy?"
Claire smiled. Everybody in the office was anxious to call her Mrs. McCoy, "Technically it's Kincaid-McCoy but you can call me Claire. And thank you, it's so nice to back."
"I'm sorry you can't work with your husband but I think it's better that you don't," Nora said, "besides Mr. Matthew Willard here is also a wonderful Executive ADA."
Claire smiled at the man that was sitting in the chair beside her. He was Matthew Willard, her new partner, "And I'm sure he is."
Matthew stood up, "Come on, Mrs. McCoy we have a case to get started on."
Claire stood up and walked out of Nora's office with her new partner. She couldn't wait to get working on a case.
She knocked on Jack's office door and then opened it, "Mr. McCoy are you ready to go home?"
"Let me get my jacket on, Mrs. McCoy."
Claire smiled as she watched her husband put on his jacket and grab his briefcase. He turned off the lights in his office and closed and locked the door behind him. He took his wife's hand and they smiled at each other.
Claire couldn't have been happier. She had tied her past and future together in a tight knot by marrying Jack. She knew Jack's age didn't allow them a long time together but then she thought for a minute. If six years could feel like a lifetime, her and Jack might as well be together for eternity.
The End.