Hello! Me again! Now, I do apologize for anyone who's following my other story The Necklace - this has seriously been the craziest summer of my life, and I'm working on it. Slooooooowly. But anyways, those of you here from my IG page 24liveanotherday, here's the fic you've been promised! I hope you enjoy! Ill try to update as often as I can! Merci! ~ Ellisaed
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A sudden wave of nausea overwhelming her, Chloe O'Brian stopped her typing and instinctively placed a hand over her stomach. The other found the edge of her desk and held tightly, eyes squeezed shut as she fought it. She took deep breaths, forcing herself not to run to the washroom this time.
The CTU ringtone chimed in her ears, but Chloe ignored it. Consequently, Morris' voice was heard.
"Love, are you alright?"
"Fine." Chloe managed, the wave fading to just plain sourness once again, "I'm fine now."
Morris rushed to her side, eyes distressed. "No you're not, you look a sight! Have you eaten today? When's the last time you drank water? Let me check your head -"
"Morris, I said I'm fine." Chloe hated being fussed over, sighing as Morris brushed her dark hair away and felt her forehead.
"You're fevered. I knew it."
"I'm fine! Just a bit nauseous -"
"I'll take you to medical then."
"Morris, there's this thing that happens when you're pregnant. It's called morning sickness. It's only 8:30, so I think I'm entitled to a little nausea." Chloe bit back at her husband sharply, turning to her computer again.
Out of the corner of her eye, Morris sat on her desk, turning his head a bit like he did. "Chloe dear. Look at me."
Chloe bit her lip, stubbornly continuing to stare ahead.
"Chloe. Look at me."
Rolling her eyes, she complied. Morris' dark gaze met hers, and he smiled softly. His expression was comforting, soothing like usual. Chloe allowed it to calm her like it could. She had needed that gaze too often lately.
Morris and Chloe had been on a roller coaster ride ever since that awful, wonderful, fateful day that had changed their lives just over a month ago. With Morris' alcohol struggle harboured with the injuries and guilt from terrorist torture mixed with Chloe's own battle believing and trusting him, and the scary events that had gone down that day - that alone was more than enough. Their pregnancy, that was just the icing on the cake. It was very good news, mind you, but scary. It changed everything.
Ever since that day, Morris had sworn he would become a changed man. He hadn't even looked at a bottle since, and Chloe was proud of him. He had begun attending AA classes and therapy regularly since his torturing experiencing arming the nuclear weapons. He was far less arrogant and more loyal to his work, and bit by bit Chloe watched him become ready. Ready to be a father. Heck, he even seemed excited. Cleaning up the spare room in their apartment, buying a crib. Her, on the other hand, she didn't think she'd ever be ready.
Chloe had struggled the past month with stress from her job and the stupidity of morning sickness. She was always tired. One minute she was starving and the next ready to spit up her stomach. Her clothes were shrinking, and that telltale bump was beginning to form in her belly. They hadn't told Buchanan or anyone else yet, and she didn't want to. Chloe hated the attention, the pressure she could already feel. So much was expected of mothers these days. Could she do it? Her, Chloe O'Brian, the alleged sociopath, a mother?
When she looked deep inside, Chloe wasn't sure. It was in that hidden part of her heart, the one that also harboured the loss of Jack Bauer in her life. Whenever CTU was stuck in a crisis and she would stumble upon crucial information, she'd dial for Jack instinctively. Unfortunately for her, no one would respond if she let it ring
anyways. The last Chloe heard Jack was wandering around somewhere in eastern L.A., but in any event of trying to track him he would manage to go dark again and disappear. She knew how broken he still was from China, from Audrey. She wished to help him, but the obvious message was that he didn't want her help.
Chloe felt helpless in every way lately, too sick to work but too restless to stay home. The threat and reality of being a mother in a few short months loomed over her like a dark cloud. Jack was gone and besides for Morris, she felt very much alone.
Chloe realized how lost in thought she had become, and she blinked up at Morris, feeling tears roll down her cheeks.
"Why am I crying?" She whispered, voice breaking. Before she knew it Morris was wrapping her up in his arms, stroking her hair as she cried. Chloe buried her face in his chest.
"Shh love, don't be down. I know how hard things have been for you. I'm here for you, okay?"
Chloe nodded, unable to speak. She sniffed loudly, probably getting snot all over Morris shirt and looking ridiculous to the other CTU employees, but frankly she didn't give a care. Her husband smelled like the cologne he always wore that made her sick, but as she held him it comforted her. Her desk phone rang annoyingly, and she punched the hold button.
"I'm just . . . tired of everything! I hate my job and I hate being sick and I hate you, but I love you and I love work and I hate everything but . . . I don't!"
". . . I see."
"No, you don't see. You're not the one growing a person inside of you, one that's making you tired as heck and sick and grumpy."
"Mhm, now I see."
"I need coffee." Chloe whimpered, and Morris chuckled.
"No coffee my dear, remember what the doctors said?"
"Screw the doctors, I want coffee." Chloe sniffed and wiped her nose, sitting back down again.
Morris lifted her chin up a bit. "You are stubborn, aren't you? Goodness, I pray that trait doesn't rub off on the little one."
"Morris, if our baby is an O'Brian, you bet you're head that it'll be stubborn." Chloe smiled a bit at him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I love y - "
"Is everything alright here?"
Both of them looked up to see Bill Buchanan approaching their desks, looking calm but concerned. His blue eyes scanned the scene, seeing a red eyed weepy looking Chloe and Morris with his shirt half-damp and mouth half-open with the intimate phrase leaving his lips.
"I heard there was a bit of unrest, am I correct?" Bill asked, straightening his tie a bit.
Chloe looked to Morris, who was still vocalizing the "you" sound awkwardly. Her palm met her forehead hopelessly.
". . . you - are wondering if everything's alright? Well, it is. It's wonderful." Morris recovered, not so smoothly, "Brilliant in fact."
Buchanan raised a grey brow curiously, amused. "How so?"
Chloe looked to Morris in warning, telling by the smirk on his face that he was going say what she thought he might say -
"Chloe's pregnant."
Chloe shot her head up, feeling the blush on her cheeks flare to a full out crimson. Bill met her eyes and smiled widely.
"Congratulations Chloe! That is wonderful news."
Chloe forced a smile, wanting to simply die. Kill me now, oh God please kill me now . . .
"Two months along, in fact, and sick as a dog lately."
"Morris, please," Chloe whispered desperately, and he patted her shoulder gently before stepping down to the main floor beside Bill to elaborate deeper on her condition, leading him on into a stroll. God knew he'd probably start going into the complexities of her intestinal system. Fun.
Just then, her desk phone rang again. Chloe groaned, wondering who the heck was trying to get a hold of her so badly. Better not be Spenser again, she thought, or I will honestly behead him.
"CTU, O'Brian." Chloe mumbled. She waited, listening to static. It gave no reply on the other side.
She tried again, "CTU, Chloe O'Brian . . . hello?"
Chloe huffed, giving the feedback a good chance before fingering the receiver button. She paused, giving it one last chance. "Hello - "
The blare of the hangup blasted in her ear, and Chloe jolted in her seat and groaned. "Jerk."
Besides for a scowl of frustration, Chloe O'Brian took nothing more of the phone call.
The darkened room was pierced by faint light as the young man entered quietly. The man dwelling in the room heard him anyways, rising from his chair and away from the surveillance cams he was monitoring.
"Did you find her yet?"
The pause did not give him any good feelings.
"Sir . . . Wilson is tracking the number as we speak. The bandwidth is scrambled and most outward calls from CTU are not traceable by any means - "
"That is why I hired him - to trace the call, despite the challenges." Vasilyev turned and managed to grab his partners collar threateningly, watching the young blue eyes widen in fear, "Don't push me, Loban. My patience is thin enough. Just get the American to do his job or I'll find someone else who can."
"But sir," Loban said, distressed, catching his feet as his boss pushed him away, "It will take us far too long to find a new technician, let alone inform him on the scramble codes and give him enough time to - "
"Loban!" Vasilyev shouted, slamming a hand down on the table before him, "Leave me! Just get us into CTU's phone lines!"
"Yes sir." The voice had dimmed timidly, and the door closed silently behind him as he scurried out again.
Vasilyev sighed, sitting once more and glueing his eyes to the screens. It was all he could do. His mind whirled, not anxiously but excitedly, with the details of their plan. They had worked years on this, labouring over detail after detail, endless scrutiny. But it would not return void - their plan was foolproof.
They would find Jack Bauer. And Vasilyev ensured it his full responsibility to kill the scumbag himself.
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