Kim walked up to her station and logged on with her CTU ID. "Kim? What are you doing here?" asked a girl named Elaine. "I'm here as the extra help" "Extra help for what? We're not that busy today, just a bunch of filing to do… I thought you had the day off?" "I did but-" Kim looked around "You sure there's nothing major going on today?" "Positive" "And the staff for today is enough?" "Definitely" said Elaine with a smile "Right, okay thanks" said Kim and got up as she saw Chloe who was heading to the bathroom. Kim followed her until she was inside the bathroom "What is going on?" Kim asked as she entered the room
"Oh. Hey Kim. Good to see you made it" said Chloe "WHY did you call me in for today? There's nothing major happening… you call 'filing' an emergency?" Kim asked. "Who told yo-" "Elaine. Chloe just spill it. Why did you need me to come to CTU?" Kim asked interrupting her. "All right fine. It's personal" she finally said "Personal?" asked Kim now crossing her arms "Yes… um, you see uh…" Chloe was now fidgeting with her hands "Morris and I are having problems and I was hoping that I can maybe talk to you about that" said Chloe "And we couldn't talk about that on the phone?" Kim said but then closed her eyes and shook her head while raising her one hand "Never mind that. I know you're lying, you and Morris were fine yesterday" said Kim.
Then another woman came in "Oh here you are, we need your help in prepping for Jack Bauer" said Susan looking at Chloe. Kim had turned to look at her talking and Chloe was now shutting her eyes tight as she bit her lip. Kim was looking at Susan in shock, her mouth a little open. "Wha-what do you mean, prep for Jack Bauer?" she asked "Bill wants to debrief him before we let him go" "You mean he's here?" Kim asked.
Susan half laughed "Yeah" she said. "By the way Susan, Kim is Jack's daughter" said Chloe. Susan's smile half-faded but was right back again as she looked at Kim "Oh, well you must be so excited. He's in Bill's office. We won't be ready for him for at least 20 minutes if you want to see him" said Susan "Yeah thanks, Susan. I'll handle it" Chloe said. "Okay, but we need you now" said Susan as she left.
Kim was now looking at the floor, her eyes had gotten a little teary. "So you call me, because he's here. Now I'm here and you DON'T want me to see him… help me understand this, Chloe" said Kim looking up. "It's just… I wasn't sure if you were quite ready to see him" "Then why did you call me?" Kim asked looking confused.
Chloe didn't know what to say so Kim broke the silence again "How did they find him?" she asked. "It's a long story" said Chloe. Kim nodded slowly and then suddenly turned to the mirror, wiping her eyes and flipping her long wavy hair behind her shoulders. "Well you heard her, go help with the prepping" said Kim as she turned to the door and started leaving "Kim, where are you going?" asked Chloe. Kim stopped with her hand in the door knob "Why don't you take a guess" she said opening the door "Just take it easy on him okay? He's not himself" said Chloe and Kim stopped for a second… then she bit her lip and continued leaving. Chloe sighed, she just hoped that Jack wouldn't be TOO mad at her.
Kim was walking down the long hallway slowly. At first she was in a hurry, more excited then anything until she thought of what she could say… and that was when her pace had slowed down. She reached the end of the hallway and decided to lean against the wall for a second.
On the one hand she wanted to just run up there, hug him and tell him how sorry she was and on the other hand… she had no idea HOW she would do that and if he even wanted to see her, after the way she treated him the last time she saw him. She sighed and got up straight "Come on, Kim. It's just your dad… why is this so hard?" she thought to herself as her feet started to take her up the stairs.
"Just be yourself… be normal… be…" but her thoughts drifted off as she finally came to the top of the stairs and she saw him through the glass window. She felt nervous… a feeling resembling the one she had when she was telling him about Chase. He was sitting on a couch browsing through a file with his back to her. She breathed out slowly "Okay" she said softly as she placed her hand on the door…
As she entered the room, Jack stood up, expecting to see Bill "Bill, I was wondering if it would be possible if I …" Jack trailed off as he turned around to see Kim. She half smiled as she let the door go and it closed softly. Jack just looked at her and swallowed.
Kim felt her eyes sting again "Hi, Dad" she said softly. Jack managed a half smile "Hey" he said and he put the file down on Bill's desk then turned back to her "What are you doing here?" he asked. Kim smiled as she let out a half-laugh looking down "I'm working here again… it felt like the right thing to do" she said looking up. "I see" said Jack "Did you know I was coming back?" "No" Kim answered "Actually it was my day off today" she said. Jack smiled, in a way feeling wanted… had she come here just for him? "So how have you been?" he asked. It felt awkward talking to her as though she was a stranger, though.
Kim smiled at first, about to say 'fine', but she had to be honest "Not that great" she said. Jack looked at her confused and opened his mouth to say something but she interrupted him "Dad I…" she trailed off looking away as tears were starting to cloud her view "The past couple of months I've been hoping to see you just once… so that I can tell you how sorry I am" she said her voice now breaking a little.
Jack just looked at her, not sure what he was supposed to do "Kim you don't have to say that you're sor-" "Yes I do" she said interrupting him and looking back at him "You didn't have a choice… the Chinese forced you I know that now. I had no right to be angry with you" she said. Jack swallowed again "I lied to you... I didn't even give you a warning I just disappeared. That wasn't fair either" said Jack now stepping a little closer, yet keeping a distance. Kim looked at him as a tear finally escaped her eye… she didn't care anymore, she could finally be herself again and be honest with him… he wouldn't think less of her. "I could've been more understanding and… Dad can you ever forgive me for the horrible things I said to you?" she said as her voice broke again and more tears fell down her cheeks "Sweetie" said Jack now narrowing the distance and hugging Kim, also feeling his own eyes burn a little "Honey there's nothing to forgive" he said softly as he placed his one hand behind her head, the way he always used to before he 'died'.
Kim couldn't help but smile… it felt like old times again. "But Dad I didn't mean it" she said as she hugged him back, reassuring herself that he was really there "Sweetheart it's all right" he said as they finally pulled apart "It's okay" he said again as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Kim sniffed softly as she looked down. Jack was rubbing her shoulder a little "I'm sorry" she said looking up again as she tried to stop crying and wiped her eyes. Jack smiled "It's okay" he said softly "I just want you to know that I would never do anything to deliberately hurt you" he said "I know… me neither. But it was just so crazy and I felt confused and with the gas released in CTU I… just couldn't think straight" she said. "I didn't blame you for your decision" said Jack. Kim let out a shaky breath "I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry" "Stop saying that" Jack said wiping away a tear. Kim smiled "How about you? Are you okay, I mean… what did they want from you?" Kim asked. Jack felt a horrible feeling running through him at the mere thought of his mind traveling back there but he shook it off quickly looking at Kim, it was over and he simply had to forget about it. He couldn't have his daughter think he was weak "It doesn't matter. I'm here now and I'm never leaving again" he said. Kim smiled "Promise?" she said laughing, this made Jack smile, hearing her laugh again "Promise" he replied softly
"Good… I did mean two other things that I said, though" "I'm listening" said Jack "One- I'm happy that you're alive and two…" she smiled as she hugged him again "I love you, Dad" Jack was surprised at first, not because it was coming from Kim, but because he hasn't heard anyone say that to him while he was captured, he never had the chance to say it to anyone… he had no idea how much it really meant to him until now.
He smiled as he hugged her back "I love you too" he said feeling, good. A feeling he thought would be lost to him forever… he had his daughter back after thinking that she would never forgive him. They pulled apart "What about Audrey? I know that she'd want to see you, Dad" said Kim smiling broadly.
"Maybe it'll be best if I let her move on" said Jack "No… Dad…that's just it… she hasn't moved on and she still loves you Dad. I know she does" said Kim. Jack looked away "Just give me time to think about it, okay? I'm not sure I'm ready to see her just yet… I let her down too" "But it wasn't your fault and she KNOWS that. You've gotta call her, Dad" Jack looked at Kim and finally nodded "I will, um… but for now, when I'm done. Let's just go home and… talk" said Jack smiling. "Okay" said Kim "Okay" Jack replied "Jack, we're ready for you" said Bill as he entered the office "Kim, how did you know?" he asked looking at her.
Kim smiled "Chloe" she simply said. Bill returned the smile "Right, of course. We'll be in the situation room" said Bill and left. Jack nodded and turned to Kim "I love you" he said again and kissed Kim's forehead before leaving. "I love you too" she said and he smiled as he exited the office.
She watched the door close, almost afraid to let him go… "Everything will be okay now" she said to herself as she closed her eyes. They had gotten a second chance and she was going to make it count… starting by doing her father a favor… she took out her cell phone and pressed speed dial 7. After all she considered her a friend, they had grown a little closer after Jack disappeared again, and friends don't lie to each other. The name appeared on her screen… Audrey Raines.