Bolting upright, Jack was momentarily surprised to find he was in his own bed. Waiting for his breathing to come under control, Jack glanced at the clock.
"3:07. Geez."
Knowing sleep was impossible, Jack got up and went to the kitchen. After looking woefully at the beer, he settled for a glass of water and moved out to the balcony. Even in the pre-dawn hours, the air was still humid and stifling. Jack listened to the sounds of the city, the faint wail of sirens punctuating the night.
Life in the city was good but sometimes Jack longed for a quieter existence. The idea of a small town had really begun to appeal to him.
"Maybe after retirement." Jack mused. The headache that had awakened him was retreating to the fringes of his mind. He struggled to recall the dream but only fragments remained. Sitting on the cushioned chair, Jack allowed his mind to wander. For the first time, he thought about the accident. He knew there had been an explosion and he had been in a coma for two months. Abby shared only the necessary details but then, Jack knew he really didn't ask any questions. He sometimes wondered if it had been a blessing that he had lost those two particular years. Zoe would sometimes go pale when he would ask about those years and Jack just eventually assumed there were things he was better off not knowing.
Zoe's unexpected visit and her desire to share details worried Jack. He was glad to be off for the next few days to give himself a chance to absorb whatever Zoe had to tell him. With another heavy sigh, Jack drained the now lukewarm water. Sleep was still eluding him and Jack debated going to the gym. The exercise would calm his nerves and hopefully, wear him out. The gym was frequented by Secret Service and FBI agents and was open 24 hours. Making his decision, Jack grabbed his gym bag, left a note for Zoe and headed for the door.
ooOOoo
After an intense workout and a light breakfast with fellow agents, Jack felt more like his normal self. Quietly entering the condominium, Jack wasn't surprised by the quiet that greeted him. Even though he had been up for hours, it was still barely sunrise. As he tiredly headed down the hall, Jack couldn't help but think about the few things Zoe had told him. The idea of a small town full of government geniuses was a wild idea but after living and working in DC so long, Jack knew it was entirely possible. He still couldn't fathom what a science town had to do with him. Jack knew he wasn't the most academically intelligent but common sense and hard work had taken him far.
Stripping and lying down on the bed, Jack felt sleep finally come to claim him. As he descended into the darkness of his sleep, the green eyes had appeared in this dream began to haunt him.
"It's time, Jack."
"Who are you?" Jack asked aloud. Before the answer came to him, sleep won out and Jack rested.
ooOOoo
Zoe woke after 9 am to find her father's bedroom door closed. Deciding to surprise him with hot coffee and his favorite breakfast, she headed to a small bistro down the street. She and her father went there for breakfast whenever she was in town and she knew that her father was a regular in the tiny yet popular café. The shop was packed as usual and Zoe wound her way through the crowd of waiting customers. As she stood in the to-go line, Zoe was surprised to hear her named being called above the din of the noisy customers. Scanning the crowd, Zoe felt her heart stop when she finally saw who called her name.