Author's note: Alright, I wrote this two months ago while spending part of my summer in France. Got a bit carried away with the two and it ended up in this semi-romance kinda thing but I guess that's what France does to you

Chapter I

"Don't do it, Jack."

The words came nearly as a whisper, Tony's voice weak as he was begging the man he had just gained respect for throughout this crazy day not to shoot the woman standing between them.

The gun still pointed at her head, his hand steady at her throat, Jack cast a quick gaze at Tony. And maybe there was a faint trace of compassion or pity somewhere there, but it was buried under all the rage and anger glowing so dominantly in his eyes.

Don't shoot her, Tony's own eyes pleaded while the rest of his body went stiff and numb, unable to even lift a hand or make any gesture to underline his request. He couldn't move, he couldn't think. Later on he would convince himself he had only asked Jack to spare her life because of the consequences for Jack himself. But deep down he would always know, even though he would never admit it to himself or anyone else, that he had done it because he loved her, despite everything she had done and he knew of now, a part of him had still held on to her.

Finally Mason managed to get through to Jack and he let go off her. Pulling his hand away, he dropped her like a waste bag and she slid down the car door and sank to the ground, only to be brought to her feet again by two other agents. Shoved up against the same door one more time, getting her hands cuffed behind her back, Nina was finally forced to look his direction and Tony tried to catch her gaze, look into her eyes and search for an explanation. An answer. A denial even. Anything. But she avoided him, staring past him, her expression a cold and solid look, hiding any emotion that might boil inside her. Limping slightly she was let away and he couldn't but stare after her, realizing a part of him being taken away, dying right there in CTU's subterranean garage. Where could he go from here? How?

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When he had started to work with her - for her, to be exact - he had mostly been intimidated. Attracted, without a doubt and right away. Besides her looks, she was smart and intelligent and stronger in her character than any woman he had met before. But not only did she seem so self-assure and tough, she also hid herself so well behind her professionalism and her work that he didn't even know how to approach her on a non-work-related level. He was familiar with every move she made inside the CTU building, every gesture or look, the varying tone of her voice depending on who she was adressing or what they were talking about. But he had no idea how she moved outside the office, how she dressed in her leisure time or what her face looked like while buying groceries.

The only times when he could glimpse a different side of her was when he saw her talking to Jack. Not often, just sometimes, when they seemed a little closer, a little more intimate. She would have that caring touch to her face, covering that hurt expression in her eyes. Beyond the hard shell, he was sure, she could be soft and sensitive, fragile even, maybe weak. She didn't give herself away, excellent at holding her ground, but he could see it, tell by the way she was hurting. And as the short fling between the CTU director and his second-in-command was an open secret, it didn't take long for Tony to catch up with the office gossip and understand why she could be so different with Jack.

He told himself right away to let it pass, get her out of his mind and move on. Whatever had been going on between her and Jack, she was obviously not over it yet and if he had to get involved with someone at work, it should at least be worth the trouble.

But a part of him didn't stop telling him she was worth all the trouble. All the trouble and more. He tried to ignore that voice, tried not to pay attention to her any more than their work relation required, to set his eyes on someone else - but it didn't work.

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He had finally finished things up for the day and was ready to go home. Home to a quick shower, some food maybe and some time in front of the TV set and his bed. It was late again and casting his eyes round the room, Tony wondered why everybody else managed to leave much earlier than him.

Not everybody exactly, he noticed, looking over to Nina's work station. She was not at her place but her computer still running, her jacket hanging over her chair, it was obvious she was still around. And it wasn't hard to figure out where.

Glancing up to the director's office, Tony spotted her standing next to Jack's desk. Her arms folded she was standing upright, giving short comments or simply nodding or shaking her head occasionally. Her face expression was purely business-like and Tony couldn't help but feel relief. He had never understood why she should be affected to Jack Bauer of all people. Bauer had a way of delegating things that Tony more than disapproved of. Not only was he ignoring or breaking the rules constantly, his way of withholding key information - as if no one else was good enough or worth to be trusted - was undermining his staff and endangering everybody working for him. Sooner or later he would make a mistake and somebody would have to pay the prize. Someone always did. Tony could only hope it wouldn't be Nina. She was covering for Jack way too often.

Still watching her next to Jack, Tony noticed the change in her expression as the two of them seemed to get into a debate. She was angry. He could see her shaking her head and contradict or protest, replying to something Jack must have said. He had no idea how she could still work with him. For him even. After everything he had put her through. Undermining her credibility and reputation at work, the humiliation of making her the sad headline to the coffee break news. Besides the disapproval of Bauer's working methods, Tony felt a strong distaste for the man on a personal level as well. He knew that feeling was feeding on jealousy, but it was not completely irrational. You just don't treat people that way.

Finally Nina seemed to have had enough. Glaring at Jack, she made a last remark before she turned to leave. Not storming out like a drama queen but walking out with her back straight and her chin upright.

Tony could only see the back of Jack's head as he was staring after her, but he imagined his expression with satisfaction. He'd seen it before. Those stupid blue puppy eyes following her, full of regret and pleading for forgiveness. If it was for Tony to decide, he would never get it.

You screwed up, Jack, you really did. You never deserved her in the first place and then you dumped her, treating her like shit. Sooner or later she will see that too and then you're done, you stupid bastard.

He watched her coming down the stairs and the warm feeling of satisfaction vanished as she arrived at her desk, angrily throwing a file onto the desk. Sitting down and bringing her hands to her temples, she looked tired and exhausted and he wanted nothing more but to comfort her. But she had never given any sign that she wanted him too. Or anyone else for that matter.

Oh what the hell, he thought and got up, thinking about what to say while walking over. She didn't look up until he was standing right in front of her desk. Hiding her emotions perfectly she gave him a completely neutral look.

"What is it, Tony?"

"Ah...I just finished those reports you asked me to send?"

"Good," she said, looking right into his eyes and Tony had to hide some emotions himself.

"So...I think I'm heading out for today."

"Okay," she replied, giving him the hunch of a critical look as if saying: and you came over just to tell me that?

Now or never, he thought to himself.

"I was gonna go for a drink somewhere and was wondering if you might wanna come along?" he asked, taking his eyes off of her and scanning the room. A habit he could never get rid off. "I would have asked someone else, but it seems we are the only ones left," he added in an attempt to make it look less like an approach, but noticing instantly the sentence hadn't come out the right way. He didn't want it to sound like she was second or even last choice, but more explanations would only make it even worse so he just shut up, awaiting her rejection which followed inevitably.

"Ah, thank you, Tony, but...I think I just wanna go home, take a shower and go to bed."

He finally met her eyes again and after a short moment he just nodded. "See you tomorrow then."

Letting his gaze wonder around the room again as if to emphasize the casualty of his actions, he walked back to his station, not noticing how her gaze was following him. At least she had spared him a meaningful look towards Jack's office along with her rejection, he thought.

Sighing inwardly, he started cleaning his desk and paid the men's room a last visit before grabbing his coat and heading for the exit. Against his intentions he couldn't but throw a glance at her station again. She was gone.

His first reaction was to look up to Jack's office again but the head of CTU was alone, sitting at his desk and talking on the phone. Sighing once again Tony headed for the car park.

Leaving the building, he heard it before he caught sight of her. The car didn't start and he could tell by the way she tried over and over again that she was hardly in control of her anger any longer. Usually she would be much too rational for such a reaction. She would simply accept her car had broken down and find another way to get home.

Stopping on his way, he watched her getting out of the car and slamming the door shut angrily. She wasn't the one to curse but he was sure she was close. Standing there, just a few steps out of the building, he felt caught watching her when her head suddenly turned around and she had spotted him. He resumed walking and took some steps towards her.

"Need some help?" he called.

"No. I'm fine," she objected, turning back to the car and getting her cell phone out of her pocket.

"I could give you a ride," he offered as he was only a few steps away from her but she didn't deign to look at him, holding the phone to her ear, waiting for whoever it was to pick up. Tony waited in silence, pretending not to notice her irritation.

Finally she gave up and cancelled the call, glaring at the phone as if everything was the device's fault.

"Might be hard to get someone to come out here now. Why don't you just leave the car here and someone can take a look at it tomorrow?"

"Tony," she called out, still not looking at him, "I said I'm fine."

He nodded but didn't make a move to turn around and go. Why not?

"Want me to leave?" he asked instead, his voice still soft and gentle, ignoring her brusqueness. And his patience seemed to pay off.

He watched her breathing out heavily and bending her head a bit to one side, her features displaying surrender washing away the anger and irritation. She lowered her gaze quickly to the ground before turning around and raising her eyes again to face him.

"I'm sorry," she said. As simple as that. And looked at him like she really meant it.

Now it was his turn to quickly glance away. "Don't be," he said, shaking his head slightly before looking into her eyes again. "You WANT a ride?"

And she gave him something that equaled the idea of a tired smile. "Yeah."

"Then let's go," he said, making a gesture towards his car and they started walking. He realized how calm he was. Not once had he been thinking about what to say or how to act in front of her. It had just felt right, like walking a path where every step had already been marked and reckoned. He couldn't get lost. Like sleep-walking.

They got into the car and he waited for her to tell him where to go. They drove in silence and he had expected it to be akward, but he enjoyed just sitting next to her. Side-glancing at her every now and then, watching her looking out of the window, staring into space, lost in her thoughts, he felt comfortable.

"I'm sorry I was so harsh earlier," she said, her voice softer now. "It's just been a long day."

He gave her a quick look and a weak smile. Not different from any other day. And tomorrow won't be different either and neither the day after that.

Eventually he pulled into her street and stopped the car in front of an apartment complex. So this is where you live. This is what you return to every night. To do what? Sit and think about how life could be? About Jack? Wishing for him to come back to you? Wishing it had never happened?

The clicking sound of her seat belt brought him back and still looking over to the apartment house, wondering which door was hers, he heard himself saying: "When I said I would have asked someone else but that you were the only one left, I didn't mean that..."

"I know," she cut him off. "I know what you meant, Tony."

He looked down at his hands lying on the steering wheel, feeling her gaze on his cheek.

"And I appreciate it." She paused. "Maybe some other time," she added then.

"Right," he said mockingly. "Look, I didn't tell you that to make you feel awkward. I got it the first time. It's just...I wished you wouldn't let him do that to you."

Realization spread over her face and her features hardened. "Tony, if by that you mean what I think you do - it's really none of your business."

He sighed, forcing himself to look at her. "Yeah, I know. I know it's none of my business. Coz if it was...," he started but stopped himself. "Never mind."

But she didn't let it go. "Then what, Tony?" Gone was the softness in her voice and if it wasn't for her tiredness she would probably sound a lot more angry or sharp than she already did.."What do you know? Don't believe everything people say. And what do you care anyway?"

"What do I care?" he asked surprised. I thought that was pretty obvious.He didn't feel to comfortable putting himself out there like that, but he reckoned he had already passed the point of no return anyway. "I care every time you get the blame for something he screwed up. I care every time someone is talking behind your back. I care every time you look like tonight. And I care every time he doesn't appreciate you as a member of his staff or as a person." He stared into her eyes, realizing he had gotten all worked up in this and from her surprised face expression he took it that he was the one looking angry now. And now you will probably tell me to beat it.

He turned away and stared over to the apartment house. Congratulations, Almeida. You just blew it. Not that you had much of a chance anyway, but now you made sure you really don't. He expected her to say something, to give one of her sharp remarks or just get out of the car without a word, but she didn't and when he turned back to face her again he found her still staring at him. And there was something in her eyes that told him he was wrong. He hadn't blown it. Not exactly.

"What do you mean when I look like tonight?"

"Tired," he said. "Sad. Exhausted." Hurt, he had wanted to say, but swallowed it. "Look, I'm sorry. I just wished there was anything I could do."

"Tell me to get another job," she tried to joke and turned her face back to him with a slight sarcastic smile. "It's not that I don't appreciate people telling me I look worn out, Tony."

He smiled at her remark and she couldn't but give him a faint but real smile in return. That moment he knew what he had never let himself hope for. He actually had a chance.

"And I feel flattered you care that much but..." she continued.

"Look," he took his turn in cutting her off. "If you tell me you are not interested at all, I'll back off. Just like that. But if not..." She looked at him skeptically and he wanted nothing more but to stretch out his hand and touch her. Struggling for his self control he was magnetized by her eyes. "I know whatever it is between you and Jack is not really over yet. But, I can deal with that. All I'm asking for is a chance."

She didn't say anything, just returned his gaze in silence and after a long moment she finally moved. Reaching for the door handle she took her eyes off him, turned and just like that got out of the car and walked over to the house without once looking back.

She left him puzzled and confused and while driving home he tried to figure out what just had happened. But he couldn't make his mind up about how exactly to interpret the way she had left him.

The next day at work she didn't act any different, as if nothing had happened the night before. But for some reason he didn't let it bother him too much. He knew it was her turn to either make a move or not. So he waited. Doing all the assignments she gave him, writing or sending whatever report she asked him to and life just went on as usual. Until Friday afternoon.

He had finished a report she needed to sign and went over to show it to her. While she went through the pages with a slight frown on her face, he stood next to her and waited.

"That chance you were talking about," she said without looking up, "what exactly did you have in mind?"

She caught him by surprise and he quickly glanced around, finding no one near enough to overhear their conversation. Still seeming to study the report, her voice and face were all business-like as if she had asked him for some specifics. He quickly followed her lead and pretended to refer to a paragraph on the page she was reading.

"I would pick you up?" he suggested, his voice just a bit lower than usual, just in case. "Tomorrow? Eight o'clock?"

She nodded as if comprehending his explanation and got her pen to put her name under the report. "Okay, that's settled then," she said and handed him the report, giving him just the short look of approval one would expect, as if to thank him for getting the assignment done. Then she turned around and walked back to her work station.

Standing in the middle of the ground level, his eyes followed her a second or two before he became aware of his surroundings. Glancing once more around to make sure no one had witnessed their little tete-a-tete, he walked back to his own desk, suppressing a smile. He felt like whistling.