Aand back to our two favourites. Oh, and I can't decide if Jacob's died yet in this, so let's say he hasn't 

Also, thanks to the reviewer who warned me about ratings, I'm still getting used to this system and hope I didn't offend.

No, Carter should have her mother's ring, even if it couldn't be him that it tied her to.

Jack bounced on his toes as he waited for Carter to get the door. He craned his neck back a little, checking the road outside her house. Yep, her car was parked there. He bounced some more.

Maybe she wasn't in. He knew she kept the bike in the garage, although he wasn't sure how, so she could have taken that. Maybe she was out for a run. Maybe Pete had taken her out. At that thought Jack was half tempted to just leave the ring on her doorstep and never speak of it, but just then, Carter opened the door wearing just a towel and a flustered expression.

"Sorry, sir! I fell asleep in the bath. I hope you weren't waiting long."

It was as if just the sight of her was all it took to break his resolve. Suddenly, the tiny part of him that understood how he loved her was jumping up and down, screaming to be heard. He'd always thought that as long as he had the ring, there was a chance for them. Giving up the ring had meant giving her all the cards, knowing she'd already made her decision.

As they had many times over the years, Jacob's words floated back to him. Heartless, immoral, unworthy. He knew full well that he was all of those things. But Carter hadn't thought so. He wondered if she did now.

"Carter," he said stiffly. "Can I come in?"

Carter seated him and offered him coffee, then rushed off to get dressed. Jack supposed that how uncomfortable she was with him in her house should hurt him, but he was used to it. Carter was never easy around him anymore. Recently they both just tried to stay away from each other as much as they could.

In an effort to not fall into the trap of discomfort just yet tonight, Jack perused her bookshelves and rearranged a few to annoy her. He nosed through her magazines, and was just settling down with an article entitled "What Women Want", when the woman he wanted finally made an appearance.

God, she was gorgeous. He'd ingrained it into himself so deeply not to notice that now he let himself really look at her, for the first time in weeks. Gorgeous, but tired. Her hair was damp, and she'd run her fingers through it, leaving it ruffled. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat ... and she was shifting restlessly under his gaze.

Coughing with embarrassment, he looked away, eyes searching for something, anything that wasn't her. This felt horribly familiar, like every time they'd been in a room together for years. Even now, alone in her house with no cameras and nobody to watch them, he could feel the mantra he'd always held to running through his head. Don't look too long, don't stand too close. She's not yours.

Carter laughed suddenly, caught herself quickly.

"What?" he asked softly.

"Bit uncomfortable, isn't it?" she joked. Jack didn't find it funny, but couldn't help but think they'd come full circle. He'd held his tongue back then. But he couldn't now. So he took a breath:

"Jacob gave me something that I think you should have."