Jack pulled into the parking lot of the recreation department and headed toward the football fields. He spotted Irina and sat beside her on the bleachers.
"Hey, you made it." Irina said smiling.
"I told you I was," he answered "Where's Ethan?"
"He's on his way, at least that's what he said."
"What number is he?"
"54. Their team is the Tigers by the way. Their playing the Bears today."
Jack nodded in understanding. At that moment the Bears came out onto the field. Just like a high school game their cheerleaders held up a sign for them to burst thru. They took their position on the sidelines. Then the Tigers cheerleaders came out and held up their sign. The team burst through with AJ at the head, his helmet in his hand his eyes already showing focus and concentration. The two coaches met in the middle for the coin toss. The Tigers won the toss and decided to receive. Soon the game was in full swing. AJ ran for three touchdowns, and before long the cheerleaders were chanting. Go AJ! Jack just watched in amazement at AJ's calm demeanor on the field. He felt like he was watching a younger version of himself. AJ's agility, and speed was astonishing.
The referee blew the whistle for halftime. The players ran to the sidelines grabbing Gatorades and running to their parents. AJ ran to Irina who stood waiting with his drink.
"Did you see me mom?!" he said excited, taking the bottle from her.
"I sure did. You're close to beating your record aren't you." she said smiling at her excited son.
"Yep. Two more touchdowns," AJ said then smiled even harder when he saw Jack. He ran over to him and Jack kneeled down to hug him. Irina just looked back at them and smiled before joining the other moms.
"You came! But how did you know!" he asked.
"You're mom told me. What's this about a record?"
"Oh, my record is four touchdowns a game. I'm trying to get at least five today."
"That's a big task.""I can do it."
"I'm sure you can." Jack said smiling.
At that moment Ethan walked up behind them. Jack stood up.
"Hey sport. Look who just got here." Ethan said kneeling to AJ's level.
"Hi." AJ said flatly.
"What's the matter sport?" Ethan said ruffling AJ's hair.
AJ pulled away in annoyance.
"Look, I'm going to be your step dad soon. So you better start liking me." Ethan said angrily. Jack stepped between them.
"AJ. Go back to your teammates. Halftime is almost over." Jack said through gritted teeth.
"Ok Jack." AJ said running back to where his teammates were waiting.
"You don't talk to a child that way."
"It's the truth. He better get used to it. You better get used to it too. Irina's mine now and if you think you becoming buddies with her son is going to help you get her back. You are sadly mistaken." Ethan said walking away. Jack grabbed him by the arm and spun him to face him.
"If I ever, hear you talk to him like that again. It will be the last time."
Ethan snatched away from Jack and went to the bleachers and sat down next to Irina. Jack calmed down, then sat down on Irina's other side. Irina looked over at him, she could sense something was different. Ethan grabbed her hand intertwining their fingers then kissed her knuckles. She smiled at him. He tried to kiss her but failed when she turned her head as AJ took the field again. Jack smiled.
There were 3 seconds on the clock and AJ was one touchdown away from breaking his record. They snapped the ball and AJ got the ball dodged a defender and took off full speed down the field. Their was one defender behind him. He reached the inzone. The defender behind him didn't stop and ran full speed into him, tackling him so that his head hit the field goal post. AJ crumpled to the ground and didn't move. Irina stared in horror. Jack tensed. Ethan was oblivious, kissing Irina's hand. When he didn't move Irina ran onto the field with Jack at her heels. Ethan just looked confused. The medical team had taken off his helmet, the back of his helmet was shattered open. AJ was still unconscious, but he was breathing. Irina started to cry when they couldn't wake him up. Jack pulled her into his arms and stroked her back trying to calm her. Ethan joined them and tried to get Irina to come to him but she paid him no mind and only held onto Jack tighter. Jack watched his face tense as they tried to revive his son. Then AJ moved his foot and moaned. Irina turned sharply her eyes red.
"Mommy." AJ said starting to cry.
Irina went over and kneeled down as the paramedics pulled a gurney over towards them.
"I'm here sweetheart. Everything is going to be ok." she said wiping away his tears.
The paramedics lifted him onto the gurney and Irina followed as they wheeled him towards the ambulance.
"Mommy. I'm scared."
"They just want to make sure your ok. You'll be fine. I'm going to be with you the whole time."
"I don't wanna go in an ambulance! They took daddy away in an ambulance! What if I don't come back like daddy did."
"You're dad was dead when they put him in the ambulance." Ethan said walking over to them.
"ETHAN PLEASE." Irina shouted anger resonating in her voice.
"The boy need to suck it up and be a man."
"We will talk about this later." Irina said through gritted teeth.
They loaded AJ into the ambulance and Irina joined him. When Ethan was about to climb in AJ spoke again.
"I want Jack."
"What?" Ethan said angrily.
"Mommy, I want Jack with me."
"Sweetheart I . ."
"AJ, it's ok. Ethan's going to ride with you to the hospital in the ambulance and I will meet you there." Jack said smiling at the little boy.
"You promise."
"I promise."
AJ nodded, and Ethan climbed into the ambulance taking the other seat.
"You'll be ok." Jack said as they closed the ambulance doors and drove away.
Once they left Jack ran to his car and quickly caught up and followed them. As he drove he thought. He was going to hurt Ethan.
*******
At the hospital
Jack entered the waiting room and saw Ethan sitting flipping through a magazine.
"Where is he?" he said hastily.
"Irina's with him, he suffered a mild concussion. Their doing an CAT scan to make sure their was no internal damage. They don't believe there was but they wanted to make sure." Ethan said bored.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. A few minutes later Irina came out fright no longer showing in her eyes.
"How is he?" Jack said walking over to her.
"He's fine. They want to keep him overnight, but other than a really bad headache he's fine." She said running her hand through her hair.
Jack placed his hand on her shoulder.
"You should get some rest. You seem a little stressed out." he said his voice tinged with concern.
"I'll be fine. It's just a lot has happened these past two days: AJ getting hurt, you coming back from the dead. It's just a lot to take in." she said smiling weakly.
Ethan jumped up from his seat and hugged her from behind. She pulled away from him.
"Don't think I've forgotten about earlier." she said anger in her voice.
"You really want to start this now." Ethan said anger evident in his voice as well.
"Um, Irina what room is AJ in?" Jack said distancing himself from what was sure to be a heated argument.
"117." she said her eyes locked on Ethan.
Jack walked towards the room and looked over his shoulder to see Irina and Ethan step outside and start screaming at each other. He just shook his head, Ethan was sure to lose. He knocked then entered AJ's room to see AJ sitting up in bed watching TV. He smiled when he saw Jack.
"Jack! You came!"
"I promised didn't I." Jack said sitting on the bed next to him.
AJ smiled. He found a football game on TV and Jack laid next to him on the bed and watched the game talking and laughing. AJ yawned and curled against Jack. Jack put his arm around the little boy and held him as he fell asleep. Then Jack began to sing.
Sleep now, my son there's no need to fear.
No nightmares will come for your daddy is here.
Rest your eyes, till morning comes.
Sleep now my child, my son.
Sleep now my child, my son.
Jack relaxed against the pillow and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to claim him. Irina was standing outside the door and heard him singing. He had sung a revised version of that song every night to Sydney all those years ago. She looked at her ex-husband and her son their faces angelic in sleep and smiled. She entered the room and turned off the TV. She sat down in the chair next to Jack's side of the bed and stretched out. She had to admit she was tired. She placed her hand on the bed next to Jack's free one and slipped into unconsciousness. A few minutes later Jack awoke and saw Irina sitting next to them asleep. He looked down at her hand and intertwined their fingers. He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand and she sighed in contentment turning her head to face him. She didn't awake.
"I love you Irina." he said to her unconscious form.
A smile played on her lips.
"I love you too Jack." she said.
Jack tensed, then Irina sighed again. She was still asleep. Jack smiled, remembering something Ariana Kane had once told him. More secrets are revealed through pillow talk than torture. He now knew Irina's secret, she still loved him. It was at that moment as sleep reclaimed him again that he knew what he had to do. He was going to win back Irina's heart. Ethan walked to the doorway and saw his fiancé and her ex hands intertwined asleep. He frowned and clenched his fists. He was going to kill Jack Bristow.
******
