Animal World

Author's Note: Quick explanation on where I got the idea for this fic... This came to me after the season finale. I feel like Jack has a lot to be angry about, and probably doesn't always deal with it in the best way. Then I thought to myself what if Jack was babysitting the robot as punishment for some knuckle head thing that he did... like I don't know a bar fight because he loves those so much. Then I started thinking how he must feel about Riley shooting the bad guy. Put all those ideas into one blender and outcomes this fic. Anyway, please read and review and tell me what you think. Thanks! Enjoy!

My vision is having trouble focusing. I can see two of unpleasant bartenders in front of me. Four if I turn my head quickly, but if I do that I'll probably fall off the stool. The bartender is already debating if he should cut me off. While I think he should I am beyond plastered, however I should not be responsible for my actions if he does. My nerves are still itchy from all the destruction at Phoenix.

Iam mad. I'm mad that lives were lost today, and all the havoc that the lowlife Murdoc has been able to cause so much mayhem from inside a cell. I should've killed him. Back in my CIA days that's exactly what I would've done without a second thought. Ive killed people for less... not that I'm bragging but rather stating fact.

Murdoc is a waste of space. Not worthy of the air he breaths, and I want nothing more than to kill him. If the opportunity shows its face again I will not hesitate.

It is weird to be drinking alone but not something that is foreign. Mac went to the hospital with Bozer and just got home. Bozer had to get some surgery to fix some internal bleeding. I could not get Riley to leave his side not that I wanted too.

"You're done." The bartender said taking my glass. I look up as the two figures merge into one.

I reach across the bar top grabbing the bartender. One hand on his shirt my other going to his throat. I pull him over slamming him to the ground. The look in his eyes was pure terror. My moves are still swift even as I age. As I release the bartender I see the bouncer fast approaching at my five o'clock. I snatch the beer bottle out of another man's hand as he tries to take a sip. I hit the bouncer in the side of the head knocking him out cold. My bottle breaks partially on impact.

Why oh why do I do this? These poor bastards did nothing wrong but show up to work and now look. I'm an animal trying to masquerade in a human world, but boy oh boy do I love a good bar fight.

I scan the room and see another bouncer at my nine o'clock. I casually toss the beer bottle in the air. Two things will happen. He will either try to catch it or dodge it. You would not let it hit you. It's human instinct. The bouncer tries to catch it and as he does I kick him square in the stomach. The man curls forward holding his gut and I serve him the most perfectly executed drunken upper cut the world has ever seen. Poor man falls flat on his back.

"Don't move..." I hear a shaky voice say behind me. I turn to see and come face to face with Glock 43. New gun. I can smell the cleaner off the weapon. It looks well maintained. Depending on what the mission is the glock is fine. I have to give the small man kudos for the effort but I could see the shakiness in his grip. His posture is awful. Hand placement is suspect at best. If it is a new gun he needs to bring it to the range more become familiar with it. I smile and disarm the poor guy. I unload the weapon. There was not a round in the chamber... rookie move. The man grumbles to his feet as I toss the weapon back on to him.

Matty is going to have my hide if she finds out what happened. What I've done... again. I step over my destruction as I escape.

I am mad. Mad at myself. Why am I like this? Why couldn't I have just settled for a normal life? Why did I drag Riley into this chaos? I did not try to bring Riley home because I know exactly how she feels. She killed someone because of situation I put her in, and there was nothing I could say to make I better.

First one is always the hardest? It'll get easier after a while... who says that? I don't know what to say to her. I could hear the hurt in her voice. See the sadness in her eyes. I know that if we talk about it she will have questions. She will want to know about the men, women... and families I've eliminated. She will want to do how I do it when I don't know how. She won't believe that . Not for a second she's too smart just like her mother. She will call me a liar and she won't be wrong.

I am an animal in a human world. A predator. A monster. A killer. I don't know how to be normal. I know what not to do, and now I've brought that world into Riley's life.

In my selfish thinking I thought that leaving would be better for them. Keep them safe. Safe from me. Safe from the animal world. Riley's idiot father was only the tip of the iceberg but it was the first time that they saw that side of me. I should've killed him too.

That idiot was blessed with a great daughter and a beautiful wife and treated them like garbage. He used Diane as a punching bag, and who knows what he did to Riley. Diane assured me he didn't touch Riley but I knew if he had Diane would never tell me.

Oh shoot... where am I? Nothing looks familiar. I've been lost in thought just wandering. Drunk navigation never works. My body continues to go despite my cluelessness.

I should have stayed. Maybe I could've kept Riley away from the bad guys on the Internet land. Almost starting world war three, and keep Diane safe. I shouldn't have put that burden on Riley. I should've kept a better eye out on them. I let them down... and continue to let Riley down.

I should've make sure the room as cleared before I left. I could've sworn that I saw his shadow leave. I've gone over it in my head a hundred times.

I look up and see a house. I try to take a step but I can't lift my leg high enough. I'm not sure how far I've walked but my legs are jelly. I don't even know who's house this is... my leg buckles and I fall to my knees. I'm able to brace myself with my achy hands. I try to stand but between my heavy legs and influenced balance I'm not surprised that the ground slapped me upside my head.

"Oh god.." I grumbled dragging myself up the stairs to sit. I hold my head hoping that that would ease the spinning. I grab my phone out of my pocket... I'll just call an uber and go home.

Fucking Cairo Day. Superstition is real. I may not be a genius and be able to build a laser with a junk drawer or work a computer or work in lab but I've come across enough bad guys and been in enough sticky situations to know bad guys love anniversaries.

"Jack?" I hear a soft voice say from behind me. I would know that voice anywhere. I release a sigh as if breathing out all of the weight on my shoulders.

"Diane... I'm sorry..." I try to escape knowing that she will have questions... or want to help me. It would not be natural for me to make a smooth exit as I trip over my own feet falling right on my face.

"Jesus Jack. What are you doing here?" She asks helping me sit up.

"Honestly... I don't know..."

"Are you drunk?" She asks dropping me back on my face. I look up at her and smile. Even though I know she's pissed, probably at me, she's incredibly beautiful. "Stop looking at me like that."

"I'm sorry." I say as she leaves I crawl after her I grab her leg. "I'm sorry."

"I'll call you a cab."

"I'm sorry."

"Jack, stop." I get up on my knees and try to hug her.

"I'm sorry." I repeat. I'm unsure where my sudden diarrhea of the mouth appeared. "I was no good to you or Riley. I tried to be a better man than I am. And the idea of letting you or her down just scared me to my core... so instead I ran like a coward. I felt like I was messing everything up... I... i... i don't know..."

"Jack..."

"I'm sorry..." I say feeling a gust of sober winds. I make it to my feet. Anytime I talk with Diane it does not matter what we are talking about but she can get inside my mind with just a few words. Her words are too sweet. Like she does not know the destruction I've cause despite seeing it first hand.

"Jack..." she says pulling on my arm. She covers the cuts on my knuckles with her hand.

"I'm sorry for bothering you. I'm going to go." I pull my hand away.

"Stop it!" She argued.

"No, I shouldn't have come here. I'm drunk... I don't want to do or say something I'll regret or you use your voodoo magic to get in my head." I say doing my best no to slur my words. She smiles making me weak.

"Voodoo magic?" She laughed. I'm not a wordsmith and sometimes it's hard for me to describe how I'm feeling. "Listen, Jack... Riley came by earlier. She told me that it was a rough day at work. She told me that you helped her." She says as I wipe my eyes so she could not see her voodoo magic in the work.

"I should've done better..." I say with my voice failing.

"Am I mad at you for leaving? Yes. Am I mad at you for getting Riley into whatever line of work that this is? A little. I don't fret too much because I know she is strong. We showed her how to be strong. I know you wouldn't let anything happen to her." I feel her hand on my back.

"I should've done better for you. I should've been a better man for you." I mumble shaking my head. Her hands lightly caress my face as if healing my bruises.

"No, shouldas, wouldas, or couldas. No pity party. You're back and if you leave again it would destroy her and you know that. Be better now." She says lifting my head forcing me to look at her.

I kiss her. She was always taking care of me when we were together. All of our pleasant memories consumed my brain on loop. Her curly hair was what first attracted me to her. Her perfume always made me. Her smile makes my knees weak. We used to have the best conversations. We could talk for hours. I loved to listen to her day. She always knew what to say to make me forget the troubles that plagued my own thought.

"Come inside, and I'll fix you a cup of coffee." She said holding my waist.

She talked to me like I was human. She talks to me like I'm human.

Please Review! I am currently writing a crossover fic where Jack and Nick meet. I am thinking about writing a fic that covers the relationship of Diane and Jack. From when they first meet to when he leaves. Tell me what you think? Thanks for reading!