A Night, Unexpected

Nervously, she parked her car and walked into the building. Right away, she walked over to Michelle's station and took her aside.

"I made a big mistake." She said, still holding onto Michelle's arm.

"Chloe, what did you do now? Michelle replied, rolling her eyes slightly.

Chloe looked around before turning back and saying "I can't tell you here. Meet me in Tech room 1 in five minutes."

"Chloe, what's going on? Are you alright, are you in trouble?"

"Uh… well, no…sort of… just meet me there." She said walking back to her station, pretending to do something before walking down the hall.

---

Five minutes later, Michelle walked into Tech room 1 and shut the door. She was startled as she turned back to see Chloe right in front of her.

"I slept with Jack." she blurted out.

"What. Really?" Michelle said, somewhat surprised. Chloe stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

"Um, what happened? Have you talked about it with him?"

"I don't know...Well, no, but..." she trailed off a bit, unable to complete her sentence.

"Chloe, you have to talk to him about it."

"I know, but why? It's not like it matters."

"Chloe, Jack likes you. trust me, he wouldn't have done it if he didn't."

"Well, I think he was just drunk and kind of...stressed, I'm sure he wasn't thinking straight. I don't hold it against him, I mean I could have backed off or whatever."

"Chloe, trust me, at least talk to him."

"I would, but... have you seen him? I haven't. Jack! Jack! See, no Jack. I guess I can't tell him." she said scowling at her co-worker.

"Chl-" Michelle was interrupted by the door.

"J-jack." Michelle smiled, leave it to Jack to have perfect timing.

"I heard my name, is everything alright?" he said, with a look of concern on his face.

Chloe looked stunned, at a loss for words.

"Uh, yeah, every thing's fine. We were just going over some protocols, didn't mean to worry you." Michelle said, giving him a small look.

"Protocols? In the Tech room?" he smiled "What are you girls up to?" he said, looking at Chloe.

"We were talking about how madly in love with you I am Jack, how much last night meant to me, how I'm fucking dying without you-god, Jack! Not everything is about you!" Chloe shouted, pushing him out of the way, leaving the room.

"So I guess you know." Jack said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Yeah." she just left it at that.

Having been late to work, and away the day before, Jack couldn't very well leave to go talk to her, as much as he wanted to.

Instead, he walked up to his office, looking over to Chloe's station. He could see her giving him a glare to end all glares.

---

Not long after, Chloe got a call from Jack, asking her to come see him. Chloe, being the Chloe she was told him to shove it and hung up.

About two minutes after that, Michelle came up to her, looking like she was about to say something important, but instead, just stood there.

"What?" Chloe hissed at her coworker, knowing what she was about to say.

Michelle smiled mischievously "Jack called, he needs the update on the file report, would you take it up to him."

"No. You can do that fine on your own."

"Come on, Chloe, you can't ignore him forever."

"I can try. Besides, why do you care?"

"Chloe, if you don't go up there, I'll tell everyone about the Portland thing."

Chloe scowled "Fine, but I'm not talking to him."

"No...it's not like anything can happen, he's my boss!" Chloe snapped, grabbing the file and walking toward Jack's office.

---

"Here." Chloe said, rolling her eyes as she tossed the file on his desk.

"What's this?" Jack asked, picking up the file.

"What do you mean? It's the file you asked Michelle for." she said, rolling her eyes, turning toward the door.

"Wait, Chloe." He paused, not knowing how to continue his sentence.

"Jack, just leave me alone, okay? Don't worry, I don't blame you for anything or whatever..." with that, she left and went down to Michelle.

---

"Nice." she scowled at her coworker "I don't need your help."

"Than why did you tell me, Chloe?"

"I wasn't thinking. I'm fine now, don't worry." she said, as if Michelle cared.

"I am worried, Chloe. He's probably freaking out just as much as you."

"Which is why we should just forget it."

"No, I mean he's probably worried that he hurt you because you won't talk to him and shut him out every time he's around you."

---

Just then, Milo walked up "Chloe, I need your help with the decryption key..." he stood and waited "Chlo'?"

"Yeah, got it Milo. Be right there." she snapped.

---

"Just think about it." Michelle added as she walked down the hall.

---

"Think about what?" Milo asked, not thinking about who he was talking to. Sure enough, he got her signature glare before leaving his site to her station.

---

"Send me the frames. I'll finish the keys, you work on whatever, okay?" she said

---

After sending her the frames, Milo kept staring at her, which was beginning to annoy her on an already crumby day.

"What do you want, Milo?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"What were you and Michelle talking about?" he asked cautiously

Sighing, she looked up from her screen "Milo, what makes you think A, that its any of your business, or B, that I would tell you even if it was?"

"Alright, jeez. I wasn't trying to pry or anything" he bit back.

"Milo, just leave me alone, alright? Here are the keys." she said, handing him the disk.

"Yeah, thanks." he said walking back to his station.

---

Chloe, relieved that he finally left her alone, put her head down for a second to clear her head. Just then, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Piss off, Milo." she said, frustrated with the increasingly annoying colleague.

"Well, good morning to you too Chloe."

She snapped her head up "Shit. I'm sorry Tony." she said, blushing slightly.

"Long day?" he asked, "Or long night, maybe?" he added, looking at her.

Rolling her eyes she snapped "Did Jack put you up to this?"

"Jack?" he asked "I haven't seen him yet today, why?" he asked, slightly confused.

Leaning her head on her hand she just said "Was it Michelle, than? I swear, I said it was fine, must she keep on-"

"Chlo', no one told me anything. You just looked like you needed a break." he said with a concerned tone in his voice.

"Oh. Figures, sorry." she said, wanting to drop off the face of the earth at this point.

He smiled "So what is this about my wife keeping on...?" he trailed off.

"Nothing, she's just sort of making something more than it is."

"hmm. You sure that's all?" he asked with a sarcastic tone.

She rolled her eyes with a sigh "Yeah, Tony. I am." she hissed, not wanting to continue with this conversation.

He laughed "I believe you, it's not like you have a history of down playing things..." he smiled "Take care Chloe." he said before walking away.

---

"Shit." she thought "of coarse he was right, god forbid Tony 'Fucking' Almeida be wrong."

She paused her station and reluctantly walked up to Jack's office.

---

"Told you it would work." Michelle said, looking across at Chloe.

"Yeah, 'Chelle, you were right." Tony said, rolling his eyes, grabbing his Cubs mug from Michelle.

---

"Listen, Jack" Chloe started, getting Jack's attention walking into his office "I'm sorry I've fucked things up. I wasn't thinking what would happen and we should just forget it ever happened, okay?" she blurted out, not giving him a chance to respond.

---

Jack waited for a second to make sure that she was done talking- he didn't want her to storm out again. Chloe nervously awaited his response.

---

He looked down through the glass and took a deep breath. "What if I don't want to forget?" he said suddenly.

Chloe looked up at him surprised and confused.

"I mean, if you don't want to, I will, but..." he paused for a second and looked up to Chloe "I don't think you fucked things up, Chloe. If anything it was me..."

---

Chloe opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by Jack. "For the record, I don't want to forget it happened." he added.

---

Chloe stood at the door, stunned for a second "but... but you left." she said still confused.

"I didn't think... I mean, I had to leave to change and shower. I just didn't want to wake you. With how my head felt, I thought you would want to sleep in.
Plus I wasn't sure what to say, or what you would say. I didn't think starting the day with a hangover with your half-naked boss in your bed was your idea of a good morning." he said with a smile

"I, uh... Fuck, Jack." she sat down in front of his desk. "Why am I so fucked up?" she asked, tucking her head inside her arms on the desk.

---

"Chloe." he said, putting his hand on her shoulder "You're human."

She lifted her head up "I don't act like one! Humans interact in a kind and friendly manner, I can't go 2 seconds with out pissing someone off."

"You've never pissed me off." he said, offering a reassuring smile.

"Yes I have!" she snapped.

"Yeah... but everyone pisses me off." he joked.

"See Jack! I'm incapable of sustaining a friendship, let alone a relationship."

"We're friends... What about Michelle? You like her enough to tell her about what happened."

"I was going crazy, I couldn't think. I fucked things up with her now too, see?" she said anxiously.

"Chlo', I think she understands given the circumstances." he said, in a soft tone.

"Well, I'm still fucked up... I only have like 4 friends and you guys are work friends, except Chase- who might as well be my brother."

"Chloe, do you really think I care about how many friends you have? Look at me, I have more enemies than friends and the people who don't hate me are mostly just afraid of me. Talk about fucked up." he smiled at her.

She smiled back "I guess we're both fucked, eh?" she shrugged.

He leaned in closer to Chloe and whispered "We aren't the only ones, though. Tony, he hits on everything that moves" Chloe laughed "Michelle too, she snorts when she's drunk." they both laughed.

"See Chlo', we're all fucked up." he smiled warmly.

She sighed and smiled "Yeah, I guess."

---

He got up from his chair and sat down beside Chloe and put his arm on the back of her chair. "So...you're madly in love with me?" he said teasingly.

"What?" she said, suddenly feeling sick again.

"In the tech room. You said you were madly in love with me before you stormed out."

"No." she said loudly "I...I was just pissed off."

"Oh... I see." He found and leaned closer to Chloe "What if I told you that I was madly in love with you. "
"That last night meant so much to me, and how I'm fucking dying with out you, Chloe." he said softly, with a hint of desperation and seriousness.

---

They looked each other in the eyes, both seeing the same sense of vulnerability and lust they saw in each other the night before.

---

Before they could speak, the silence was broken by Milo opening the door.

"Jack..." he stopped "uh, sorry..." he trailed off, losing his train of thought.

"Milo, what is it?" Jack asked, impatiently, trying not to sound too annoyed.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt... we got a lead, we need you both on the floor." he took one last glance around them before turning and leaving.

---

Taking the lead, Chloe got up and headed toward the door.

"Chloe?" Jack called her and she turned "We okay?" he asked.

She smiled and at the same softness as his voice "Yeah" and she walked out the door.

---

"Looks like someone's in a better mood." Michelle said, walking by Chloe's station "Did you talk to him?"

Chloe rolled her eyes "Yeah, Michelle. I did. You happy?"

"I'm happy if you're happy." she smiled.

"Is that why you sent your little goon after me?"

Confused, Michelle replied "Goon? What are you talking about?" she asked.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe gave her a sarcastic smile "Oh come one, you SO talked to Tony, I'm not stupid. I can tell when he's protecting you. I just thought if you were desperate enough to get Tony in on it, I might as well humour you."

Michelle blushed "I'm sorry, I just didn't want to see you that way. I knew you would be okay if you just talked to him."

"Yeah, well...whatever." she said, glancing over at Jack.

"I'll talk to you later, Chloe." she said before parting ways with Chloe, smiling at her reluctant glance back.

---

"Chloe?" Milo asked, creeping up to her station.

"Yeah, Milo? What is it?" here we go again, she thought.

"I just wanted to say sorry for earlier. Something was clearly bothering you and I should have just left you alone." he told her, calmly.

"Yeah, great. Thanks Milo." Chloe said, dismissively.

"God, Chloe! I'm trying to apologize and you just ignore me, what's your problem?" he snapped at her.

"Right now, you are." she snapped back, still refusing to look up from her screen.

He shook his head "I don't even know why I bother." he said, slightly louder, but trailing off.

"Than don't, Milo. Simple as that." she said giving him a sarcastic annoyed smile, hoping he'd take the hint.

"You're such a fucking-" he started yelling and was then cut off by his phone.

---

"Pressman." Chloe watched as Milo talked, wondering if it'd be something she'd have to follow up on. "No, there's no problem." he said "Yes, I understand."

She couldn't make out the voice on the other end, nor what it was saying. "Sorry, wont happen again." followed by a "Alright, Sir. Thanks." he said, hanging up and rolling his eyes, and without looking back at Chloe, he walked to his station like he had

forgotten he was about to call her a bitch, most likely. It surely wouldn't be the first time someone said it.

Still, she couldn't help feeling unsettled. She was glad he went away, but the call was clearly not work related or she would have heard it too.

So why did he just stop? Not wanting to cause another scene, she picked up the phone and dialed Milo's station.

---

"Pressman" he answered.

"What?" Chloe replied.

"What are you talking about? You called me, Chloe."

"I know. You didn't finish, you were saying "I'm such a fucking... what, Milo?" she said angrily.

"Just forget about it, okay?"

"Why? Who was that on the phone?" she demanded.

"It's was Jack, alright? He told me to leave you alone and keep my feelings to myself in the future."

"Oh." she said with a sigh. Of course it was Jack.

"Anything else?" Milo asked.

Chloe rolled her eyes again "No. Bye." she said hanging up.

Milo rolled his eyes and called her a bitch as he hung up the phone.

---

Chloe sighed as she gave up trying to focus on her work and paused her station and headed toward Jack's office once again.

"Bauer..." she said, walking into his office.

"Chloe?" he answered, looking up to her.

"Jack, I appreciate you helping me out there, I do, but I can handle it myself." she said, trying not to sound rude.

"You're welcome, Chloe. But I was simply making sure there weren't any office conflicts going on." he laughed
"And as much as I would have loved to see you take him on, it just wouldn't be very professional of me... division would be on my ass." he smiled at her.

"Whatever you say, Jack." she rolled her eyes and walked out of his office and made her way to her station to attempt refocusing on the task at hand.


A/N:

This was written as both a stand alone story and as a prequel to my other story Life, Unexpected. -You can read it as either.

It was originally going to be just a one shot, but I wasn't finished with it. I'll probably have a least one more chapter after this one.

Anyway, I appreciate your comments, positive or negative.

-MaeBee