Here is the last missing scene in this story. As it says, it is from "Ending and Beginnings". As before, if you haven't seen it, it is on YouTube. Hope you enjoy!
"Uh...If everyone has a minute, there's something I need to say." Her voice reached his ears, and the knot in his stomach tightened. It had been a bad week. His computer had been hacked, his identity stolen, and his heart ripped out. Oh sure, she hadn't said she was going--yet. But how could she turn down a job offer like that? It would be crazy. "This has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make." Even as she spoke the words, he knew what she was getting ready to say. Every fiber of his being told him to bolt out of the room. He couldn't listen, but he had no choice. "But I've taken the job in New York." Her eyes looked towards him as she spoke these words. How he wished she wouldn't look at him. This woman who had a knack for seeing straight to his heart. "I'll be leaving as soon as they cut my orders." Diverting his eyes every time she met them, he tried desperately to think straight. The news nearly suffocated him. His heart beat out of rhythm, as he tried to work his brain around the idea that he would no longer be working with Sue. His Sue.
Trying to keep her mind on what she was saying, and not on the overwhelming sadness she was feeling, she went on to express her gratitude for those she worked with. Every time her eyes made contact with Jack, he would look away. Didn't he understand how she needed him to support her. Nothing mattered more in her life than his opinion. It was Jack that gave her the opportunity to be there--to have this moment. But what was this moment? She should feel excited--even elated. Instead she felt like her heart was being torn out. Those brown eyes that had always given her strength, were now seeking to avoid her, and she found no other eyes in the room that could give her what his always had.
Jack watched as Sue looked at Lucy, and he realized how hard it must be for her too. Yet, Lucy had at least been informed. Sue hadn't even spoken to him about it. He watched as others in the room offered their congratulations, and then moved out of the way. She was looking towards him again. His mind whirled, as he tried to think of something to say. If she could see his heart right now, which he was fighting to keep to himself, she would have seen it yelling at her, "Don't go. Choose me. Stay here. Stay with me--forever." How could he open his mouth without those words slipping out? Fortunately, Lucy interrupted whatever he was about to say with information that Metro PD had a visual on the hit man's license plate. Jack was just as glad. He was unsure how long he could stand in front of her without losing it. The fact that she looked almost ready to burst into tears didn't help either. He needed to get his mind off of her and back onto work, if for no other reason than to be able to hold it together. As he got his coat, he couldn't help looking at her. Their eyes met, and held, and he wondered if his heart would beat after she was gone. For some reason, if she were not here, he was not sure he cared.
Walking out of the bull pen, she was unsure if she was happy or sad that they had been interrupted. All the feelings that had been suppressed these last three years were threatening to overflow in a show of tears which these people, save Lucy and occasionally Jack, were not normally privy to. Sue felt things deeply, but rarely showed others what she was feeling. Living with Lucy, things had slipped on occasion, and the fact that she and Jack had been so close had made it difficult to hide her true emotions from him. He had not seen her cry often, but there had been a few times. Every time he had held her, assuring her things would be ok. It was a pretty good bet that he would never truly understand what those moments had meant to her. Thinking back, she realized that those arms had given her peace and safety when no one else could. A sudden feeling of loss enveloped her as she realized that she was leaving those arms here in D.C. How could she live without feeling his embrace on those days when nothing else would calm her? Shaking her head, she realized that she needed to concentrate. They may need her assistance, and she couldn't be thinking about Jack.
It seemed surreal as he watched the gun point his way. His mind had been on nothing but Sue, and now as he looked death in the face, visions of her floated in front of his eyes. Though it took only a second, it seemed forever past before the blast of the gun met his ears. He waited for the pain, but it never came. Then, as if in slow motion, he watched the gunman fall dead on the street. In a blast of reality, it hit him. Never before had his feelings got in the way of his ability to do his job. Yet, here, now, he had not been able to think. Seeing her walking towards him, a look of concern on her face, his breath caught in his throat. What if....? The near death experience suddenly overwhelmed him, as he realized that just like that he could have been gone, and he would never have been able to see her again this side of eternity. "I never even got my gun up." He heard his own voice speaking. "He had me." Though he knew she knew all this already, he needed to tell her. Fear, sadness and loss played with his heart.
The desire to touch him, make sure he was still there, nearly overwhelmed her, but she kept her distance. If she went to him now, she wouldn't be able to stop herself. She would be in his arms, telling him she loved him, assuring him that she would never leave him. Instead, she stood her ground, looking at him, unable to move past the obvious tension that had formed between them. Forcing her mind in a different direction, she walked through her day in a daze. Much later that night, as she readied herself for bed, she allowed her heart to fully examine the events that had played out hours before. Pulling on her well-worn hockey jersey, she snuggled under her covers, and cried for what she had almost lost. The same thing she was willingly walking away from.
After three cups of coffee, Jack felt almost prepared to walk into the bullpen the following morning. Sleep had been hard to come by, and he was unsure he was ready to face the object of his dreams in the few hours he had managed to sleep. He noticed the small group huddled around talking seemed to grow quiet with his entry. "Morning. Anything new come in last night." He was surprised at how calm his voice seemed. Almost as if the weight of the world was not resting squarely on his shoulders. Tara was just finishing her sentence, which Jack was barely paying attention to, when Sue walked in the door, setting his heart in an odd rhythm. Her greeting was directed at everyone, but she was looking at him. Immediately, the concern that was so much a part of Sue, came to surface. She wanted to know if he was ok. His first thought was she was asking in regards to her leaving, but then he realized that she was talking about his brush with death. Lying, he commented that he was fine...again finding it odd that he could keep a straight face and calm voice.
"I'm glad you're still with us today." She wanted to say more, but she couldn't. His slight smile seemed almost genuine, but somehow it didn't reach his eyes. Something about his manner told her that more was going on in his heart and head than he was letting on. There was a small change in expression when he asked if she had found a place to live in New York. Wishing she could share her heart with him, she simply told him that she hadn't gotten that far yet. When he mentioned he had friends in the city who might be able to help, all she could say was, "Thanks." A moment went by, as they looked at each other, oblivious to anyone else in the room. As soon as she saw him open his mouth to speak, he stopped, pointing behind her.
The day was gone before Jack could blink, and yet while he lived it, it had seemed to drag on without reprieve. Thinking back he couldn't believe he had not made good use of the time they were alone together. Instead, he had blundered, telling her that he would see her tomorrow, and then reminding them both that he would not be saying that much longer. Now, as he lay in bed, he wondered how he would make it through another treacherous day...and yet, he never wanted the day to end. Tomorrow was all he had left now. There was no way he could take her to the airport, or help her move. And yet, deep in his heart, something was stirring. Perhaps he could see this as an opportunity. They would be in different units. Could he ask her to share a long distance relationship with him? Would she even want to? And what if she said no? Then what? Looking towards the clock, he realized that it was nearing five in the morning. He had wrestled with these questions all night, coming to only one conclusion. He had to tell her that he didn't want her to go; that he would miss her. After telling her that, maybe then he could ask if she would like to try to pursue something now that they would no longer be on the same team. Deciding that there was no longer any need to stay in bed, as he wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon, he got up, put on his jogging pants and a shirt, and spent the rest of the morning running, thinking, and dreaming.
She could feel his eyes on her through the day. Every time she looked up, she saw him move his eyes away. His speech this morning had touched her, making her glad that she had decided to stay. Truth be told, the thought of not seeing him everyday was more than she could bear. As she had considered all that she would be giving up, there was no doubt that any advancement she may make would never be satisfying if she had to leave this place--these people. Yet, somehow, as the day moved slowly by, she realized something new. Something had changed in her relationship with Jack. The moment he had told her that he didn't want her to leave, it was as if they had moved into a different dimension. It seemed suddenly absurd to even consider continuing in the same manner. Yet, how does one go about telling their best friend that they love them? It was this question that plagued her through out the day.
Exhaustion began to play havoc with Jack by the end of the day. The fact that he had no sleep the night before was causing his brain to be mush, and his eyes to slide shut every time he allowed himself to sit still for too long. For most of the morning, the sheer exhilaration that she was not leaving was enough to keep him moving, but now his body screamed for sleep. It was for this reason that he had no idea how long she had been standing in front of his desk. "When you said you were up all night, you meant it, huh." A smile played on her face causing his breath to hitch in his throat. Nodding in response to her question, he watched as she moved around to sit on the edge of his work area. "How about I take you home, and let you nap while I get some supper ready." He started to protest, but she put up her hand. "Don't even think about it. I am, at least, driving you home." Throwing up his hands in surrender, he moved to get his coat, his eyes suddenly less heavy.
They rode in silence towards his apartment. Memories were whirling around in both their minds. Nearly three years of working together had brought with it both good times and bad. Sue allowed her brain to conjure up images of moments with Jack that had kept her going. Starting at the beginning, she considered the time she had shared with him. Smiling, she considered how she must have looked that first day when she walked into his office demanding a job transfer. Images of the evening they spent in New York danced through her brain, followed by a parade of other memories. The last one nearly caused her heart to stop, and tears to spring in her eyes. Looking at him, she was glad his eyes were closed, as he realized that today could have been a goodbye of a different kind. She could still see the gun pointed at him. Still feel the terror that rose in her as she realized that he was unprepared. Guilt had tumbled through her as she realized that it might have been her fault that his reflexes were off.
Jack opened his eyes when the car stopped, and turned to look at Sue's face. From appearances, she wasn't much more rested than he was. "You don't have to make dinner. While I appreciate the offer, you look tired too." When she denied that she was the least bit tired, and insisted that she wanted to cook, he smiled, not wanting her to think that he didn't want her company. His hand found its familiar place on her back, as he led her up the sidewalk to his house. Opening the door for her, he watched as she moved towards the kitchen. Deciding that, though he was tired, he would rather spend this time with her than sleep through it, he followed her into the kitchen. A small smile formed on her face as she shooed him to the couch, and told him that she did not need any help, but that he should rest. Feeling there was no need to argue when she got this way, he let himself relax with his feet on one end of the couch and his head propped on the other end. Sleep came quickly, and as he slept he dreamt of the blond who worked quietly away in his kitchen.
Walking into the living room about an hour later, Sue was taken aback by the sight that greeted her. It was not the first time she had seen him asleep, but for some reason her heart was on edge today, and looking at him caused her heart to beat a little harder. Moving towards his still form, she knelt down beside him, putting her hand on his arm. "Jack." She tried to say his name quietly, so as not to startle him. When it did nothing to wake him, she allowed herself a liberty she would never have dared had he been awake. Leaning in close to his face, she placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, surprised when he moved slightly.
This dream was the best he had ever had. It seemed almost real. He heard her say his name softly. Felt her hand on his arm. Feeling her presence nearing him, his heart picked up its pace when he felt her lips touch his face. Only a slight movement on his part brought their lips into contact, and he thrilled to feel her response. As his senses began to come back to him, he peeked his eyes open, and was shocked to realize that he was not dreaming. She was here, kissing him. Closing his eyes again, he let his arm move around her, and re-positioned his body slightly, trying to sit up enough to reach her better. With his movement, he felt her jerk away. Opening his eyes he saw embarrassment on her face. Her eyes moved in every direction, but refused to look at him. "I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean--I just came--Your food is on the table. I will leave you alone." He watched as she fumbled around, searching for her keys in her purse. Touching her hand, his heart broke for her as he saw she was near tears.
"Please don't go. Stay here and eat with me at least." His eyes seemed to plead with her, but the embarrassment of what she had done was too great. Making some excuse, she tried to move down the hall, but he followed her, grabbing her arm, and whirling her around so she could see him. "Don't go, Sue." Suddenly the words he wanted to say this morning came out in a gush. "Stay with me. I don't want to be without you. I miss you every minute we are apart. If you ever left, I would be lost. My heart wouldn't beat if you were not here. Please stay." She watched him with amazement as his body invaded her personal space. "Tell me, Sue. Was that kiss back there just an accident? Did you mean it? Because if you did, please, do it again."
He watched the emotions play on her face. Embarrassment moved aside for confusion. Then he watched as surprise covered her features. He was almost positive he saw a hint of hope, and then as he asked if she meant that kiss, he saw what he had hoped for. Love. Shyly she moved closer to him, bringing her hand to touch his face. Slowly, she inched her face closer to his, and he watched as her eyes slipped closed. As their lips came together, nothing more needed to be said. Both hearts united, both understanding that through every choice they could ever be given, this was their choice. Two individuals came together in that moment, choosing love over all else. As they parted minutes later, both their hearts resounded with the realization. "I choose you."
