Love or Safety?

Summary: If you had to kill the love of your life, would you for your own safety? Or would you protect them? Jackson has to decide when given the choice to kill his girlfriend, the daughter of the criminal master mind, Raul Rodriguez. But the choice isn't as simple as it seems. What will he choose?

Chapter One

Jack woke up to the feeling of someone kissing his face. He opened his eyes, squinting as the sunlight blinded him. He looked up at the love of his life, Cara, as she smiled down at him.

"Wake up sleepy head." she kissed his forehead and hopped up. "We have a lot to do."
Jack grabbed onto her ankles and pulled her down again. "Just five more minutes," Cara gave him a look a raised her eyebrow. "please?" he tried to give her a puppy like look.
"Fine," she sighed and lied beside him, resting her head on his toned chest, "just five minutes."
He smiled victoriously and dragged her onto him. "Thank you." he leaned up to kiss her but she moved away teasingly.
"My pleasure." she kissed him deeply and pulled the covers over them. They were going to need more than five minutes.

Cara danced down the hallway to the sound of the radio. She watched Jackson paint the walls from the doorway. She reached down and grabbed a sheet of newspaper, scrunching it into a messy ball.

The paper ball tapped his head lightly. He turned to look at her and raised a brow. "Do you mind?"
Cara flashed a pearly white smile and rested her head on the door frame. "Not at all."

The phone started to ring in the other room. He edged past her gently, handing her the paint roller. "Do you want to finish it off?"

"Sure!" she grinned and skipped over to the ladder.

Jack watched her with a smile and stepped into the kitchen, wiping the paint off his hands onto a rag. He picked the phone up and answered it. "Hello?"

"Jackson Rippner, it's good to hear your voice again. I hear that there was only minor damage to your trachea." his boss said down the phone. Jack could hear him light a cigarette.

"I was lucky... What do you want?"

There was a short pause from the other end as his boss blew out the smoke from his airways.
"I want you. Your vacation has officially ended. You're in your kitchen right now, aren't you?"

Jackson looked out the window and then scoped the room. "Yes."

"Excellent, now we left a special, package for you in the top cupboard on the right."

Jack opened the cupboard and took out a large, brown envelope. He could feel that there was something heavy inside that took up all of the room.

"Are you alone? You cannot open this when your little tramp is walking around."

"You know that I'm living with someone?" Jackson began to feel like he was being watched. He knew he was. The way the firm operated was the same for everyone, even if they had been on the opposite end. There was no special treatment.

"Of course I do. Are you alone?"

"Yes... I'm alone." Jackson looked towards the empty hallway and closed the door.

"Open the envelope." He ordered.

Jack complied and slid out the file that was inside. It was a file filled with information about his next target. He opened it up and looked at the name. 'Cara Rosalina Rodriguez-Smith'. Shock filled him, how could he be able to kill Cara. It simply wasn't going to work.

"Why are you making me do this?" Jackson squeezed his eyes shut. There was no way he would be able to do this, even if he wanted to.

"Because her father is trying to run me out of business and this will be a big 'fuck you'. Plus, you're our inside man. We know that you have yourself settled with the oldest daughter, so bringing you into this is pure perfection."

"What makes you think I'd even think about doing this for even a moment?" he started to sound angry, but he didn't want to shout; it would've alerted Cara's attention.

"Because we know how you like your safety. Fail us, and you'll regret it. We won't give you a short death, we'll drag it out. Happy hunting."

The line went dead, and with it so did his blissful way of life. Cara hopped into the kitchen and beamed at him.

"Come on lazy; don't make me do all the work."

Jack smiled at her slightly and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You know I love you right?"

He felt her hands place themselves on his chest. "Of course I know."

"It's just, I never tell you enough. You deserve to be told every day."

She looked up at him with a wary expression. "What's going on? And don't say 'nothing', I know when you lie."

He just stared at her, wondering to himself if he should carry out his task, or if he should he do what he wanted. It was a war between his head and his heart.

"I'm just worried that the colour of the walls, won't match the furniture."

Cara laughed at him and stroked his cheek. "It'll be alright. If that's the only thing that's bothering you, then your life is pretty easy."

"Why, what's bothering you?" he raised his eyebrow and looked down at her.

She pulled away from him and began to pace. "I didn't want to tell you this, so soon… But I'm pregnant." She smiled at him and gently rested her hands on her stomach. "We're having a baby." Her smile turned to a grin.

Jack's worries drifted away momentarily as he was overcome by joy and happiness. "You're serious?" Cara simply nodded and covered her mouth with her hands. He took a step towards her and kissed her forehead. "When did you find out?"

"About a week ago. I didn't know how to tell you." She placed her arms around his neck. "I was so nervous." She confessed.

"Why were you nervous?"

"Because you're not usually the nicest person."

"But you're my girlfriend, you can tell me anything."

"It doesn't always feel that way. You keep secrets, and then shout at me when I keep a few things to myself." She pulled away from him once more and walked back to the doorway. "For once, I'd like you to be completely honest with me. No hidden extras."

"Cara… Let me tell you something, which I don't want to keep hidden."

Cara turned around and looked at him. "What is it?"

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. "There's a hit on you."